Truth In Deceit
by Ginger James
Summary: Sequel to Thin Line: Expect the Unexpected: Find out what has happened in the wake of Dawn's disappearance, Viveca's betrayal, and Taylor's traumatic homecoming...And see where things stand with Cory and John...
1. Chapter 1

**Peeps!! Here it is, the sequel to Thin Line. I know some of you were a little upset with me for leaving things where I did so I figured I'd better get the sequel started ASAP. You know the drill, I'm sure at this point you know which characters I own and which ones I don't. I hope you like it, I really have high hopes for this story. If you liked Thin Line, I'm hoping you'll love this. As always, Read, Enjoy, and_ Review_!!**

**Truth In Deceit**

Chapter 1…

1 Month Later…

"Listen to this one," Savannah giggled, sitting at the desk beside the bed she kept Dawn on.

Dawn could hear the clicking of computer keys as Savannah sat next to her. She hated how Savannah told her to listen as if she had some alternative. Like she could just get up and walk away.

"Listen to _what_?"

"Hold on, it's loading," Savannah said. "Ah here it is, the headline is 'Flair and Taker Sidelined by Tragedy', awww isn't that sad?"

Dawn hated the sound of Savannah's giggle. She hated everything about Savannah quite frankly but her psychotic little cackle made Dawn's stomach turn.

"It says…WWE Superstars Cory Flair, real name Corinne Samms, and Undertaker, real name Mark Callaway, will not be attending the WWE's weeklong tour of the UK. Months ago, both were advertised to take part in the shows but neither of them have appeared on WWE Television since news broke of the disappearance of WWE Diva Dawn Marie. Dawn, who has been missing, police estimate, since the beginning of April. The police are looking at leads but have yet to find any solid enough to go on. As many fans know, Dawn Marie was in a relationship with Callaway for years and she and Samms have been very close friends since their days in ECW together. Undertaker is rumored to return to work at WWE's next pay-per-view Judgment Day. There is no projected return date for Flair."

Dawn was fairly certain she'd cried every last tear she had but her eyes started stinging as she thought about Mark and Cory. She missed them so much. She'd been so stupid to keep her pregnancy a secret. She'd been so stupid not to just take Mark back. Now she might not ever see them again. She might not get the chance to tell them how sorry she was and how much she truly loved them.

"Isn't that depressing?" Savannah asked, obviously amused. "Your little friends cant seem to function without you."

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Dawn asked, disgusted.

"Oh shutup Dawn," Savannah sighed. "You have absolutely no sense of humor."

"You kidnapped me and I'm strapped to a bed in the middle of nowhere Savannah," Dawn said. "Excuse me for not thinking this is _funny_."

Savannah didn't say anything for a few seconds and Dawn closed her eyes shut tightly. She wanted so badly to free herself from her bonds and beat the hell out of Savannah before getting back to her family but she couldn't. She'd tried time and time again. It was no use.

"No one is gonna believe my baby is yours," Dawn tried to use reason. "You_ have_ to know that."

"Dawn, you've tried this approach before, don't you know by now that it doesn't work?" Savannah asked, taking 11 footsteps toward the door. In her time there, Dawn had taken to counting things. Footsteps, sounds, anything. She knew exactly how many steps it took to get from one place in the room to another.

"I must be going," Savannah said. "You have a good night."

"You know..when I get out of this, I'm gonna kill Glenn for being stupid enough to believe your bullshit," Dawn spat.

"You keep believing you'll get out," Savannah said. "Whatever makes you happy."

-----------------------------------

"Now wasn't that fun?" Adelle asked as she, Cory, and Regina returned to Cory's apartment. Cory looked over at her and rolled her eyes before dropping her keys into the bowl she kept them in and walking away. Adelle had taken both of her daughters out for a day at the spa. They'd all gotten their hair done. After quite a bit of urging from Adelle, Cory had, mercifully, had the black dye stripped from her hair and her stylist had managed to restore it to it's natural color. Adelle had been trying to take Cory out at least once a week since she'd been on leave from the WWE. She didn't like the idea of her daughter being in her apartment by herself.

"I think she might have cut off too much," Regina looked at herself in the mirror, running her hands through her hair. "Corinne, do you think she cut off too much?"

"It looks fine Regina," Cory said, not bothering to look at her sister.

"Maybe we should go shopping," Adelle suggested. "It's not too late."

"I'm really not in the mood," Cory said. "I think I'm just gonna go to bed."

Adelle sighed, frustrated as she watched her daughter walk away. Cory wasn't herself. One look into her eyes could tell anyone that. Every time Adelle saw her lately they were blank, almost lifeless. That wasn't her daughter. She hadn't made a single snarky comment to her in weeks. She'd come to her house on a Monday night to find that Cory wasn't even watching Raw. Adelle was at a loss. She couldn't imagine what was going through Cory's head. She'd never been the most hands on mother but she couldn't just stand by while her daughter went through this. She just didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to help.

"You've gotta get out of this funk," Regina shook her head, still looking in the mirror. "You've been like this for weeks. It's time for it to stop."

Adelle winced when she saw Cory stop walking and turn around. If she knew Cory, a fight was about to start and it was best to just hide behind the most solid piece of furniture until it was over. To her surprise, instead of berating her sister for her insensitive comment, Cory just shook her head and turned back around.

-----------------------------------

Viveca sat in her bed, icing her ankle. She'd sprained it over a week ago during her match with Lisa and it didn't seem to be getting any better. It probably didn't help that she'd worn heels during her autograph signing with Adam earlier that day. She hadn't really thought about how painful it would be while she was getting ready. She just wanted to get dressed and get the damn thing over with. She couldn't describe how difficult it had become for her to work with Adam. She could barely stand to look at him. He didn't seem to understand why she had grown to dislike him so much and that just made things worse. It got to a point where she'd asked Stephanie if there was any way for her to get out of her storyline as Adam's manager but there wasn't. It had just started with Adam and Jason's breakup as a team and it was planned out for months.

Viveca sighed, looking down a the ring on her left hand. Jeff had refused to take it back, saying that it was hers and he didn't want it. She kept it in a box and, though she knew she should have left it at home, she couldn't seem to part with it. Every once in a while she took it out and put it on. She felt pathetic for doing it but she couldn't help herself. She missed Jeff so much sometimes it hurt. No one had ever loved her the way he did and she'd never loved anyone like him. She wished there was something she could do to make him talk to her, to make him understand that she needed him back but he barely even looked at her.

She sniffed, taking the ring off and dropping it onto the bed. Life was supposed to be great. Her mother was out of the hospital and feeling better day by day. Vince had hired her brother William to do some work for both the Public Relations and legal departments and he was on the road with them most of the time. He was also planning on giving Lianna a shot during the UK tour and if all went well, he would hire her as well. Viveca was supposed to be enjoying her career and planning her wedding to the man she loved but instead she was sitting alone in her hotel room with a bag of melting ice on her foot. Dawn was still missing, Cory hadn't been on the road in over a month, Taylor was receiving treatment in a psychiatric facility in Michigan. Things had to get better soon. Something good had to happen.

She looked down at the ice bag on her bed and sighed, picking it up. It was more water than ice and she didn't have any more in the room so she was going to have to hobble to the ice machine and get more.

She pulled a robe on over her tank top and t-shirts and grabbed the ice bucket and her room key, limping out into the hall.

-----------------------------------

Jeff yawned as he walked down the hall. He hadn't slept much the past few days and he really needed to get some rest before the long flight to the UK. He never slept well on planes and he didn't want to feel like crap when they landed. His hand was sore. He'd hurt his knuckle during a match with Adam and he needed to ice it for a little while. He knew it was unprofessional but he hadn't been able to resist hauling off and punching Adam as hard as he could in the face during their first match after he caught him with his fiancée. Adam was still sporting the bruise. That was the only thing he enjoyed about his current storyline, which involved him going up against Adam and his new 'girlfriend' Viveca. It was ironic to Jeff that this angle had been in the works before any of the drama between the three of them happened. He'd asked Stephanie if she was a psychic and she'd guiltily informed him that it was just bad timing. He did his best to be mature about it though. This was his job and he wasn't going to risk it because of them.

He heard footsteps coming from around the corner and he stopped, looking to see who it was. Just his luck, he spotted Viveca limping down the hall toward him.

He'd been doing a pretty good job of avoiding her outside of work. He couldn't talk to her. It was too hard to even look at her. He'd loved her and trusted her and she made him feel like a complete idiot. He couldn't believe that he'd actually thought she was over Adam. And making matters worse, every time he saw her he felt that horrible feeling in his chest. It was a strange mixture of anger and longing. He was so mad at her but he couldn't ignore the fact that he'd been in love with her. He still was.

She was looking down and almost ran into him. Fortunately, she looked up just before she did, obviously surprised to see him.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft. She looked up at him trepidation evident in her features.

He didn't speak, instead nodding for her to go to the ice machine first.

She did, occasionally looking over her shoulder at him. When she was done, she turned around, "How's your hand?"

"Fine," he said quickly, stepping around her to get his ice.

"Jeff I-"

"Viveca," he stopped her, not turning to look at her. "Stop. I didn't come out here to talk to you."

After a few seconds, he heard her walking away. She was probably hurt but he had to try to ignore that. This wasn't his fault. It was hers.

-----------------------------------

Cory laid on her couch, looking up at the ceiling. She was exhausted but she knew there was no point in trying to sleep. She never really went to sleep anymore, she just kind of passed out from exhaustion every now and then. Her mother and Regina had left a few hours earlier and Cory was glad they were gone. She didn't know how to handle her mother when she was trying to be nurturing. It just didn't seem natural. Though Cory appreciated her mother's efforts, she was getting tired of people babying her. Her friends were constantly calling to check on her. Jessica and Hunter came to see her every chance they got and when they were there, they walked on eggshells around her.

Mark hadn't spoken to her since they were interviewed by the police. She'd tried to call him but he never answered. She'd sent him a letter, telling him how sorry she was and begging him to just talk to her but she got no response. He had every right to hate her. She never should have done what she did, she knew that. But she missed Mark more than she could possibly say and she was so worried about him. She just wished that he would talk to her.

And Dawn…She felt like a piece of her heart had been ripped out. Dawn was more like a sister to her than her best friend and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities. What could have happened, where she could be. She wasn't religious but she prayed, _pleaded_ that Dawn somehow come home safely.

It was strange, the only person she had felt comfortable talking too lately was John. He'd called her a few times and though they didn't always talk for long, she was able to relax a little. She didn't feel the pressure that she'd been feeling with most people lately. She didn't feel like he was just sitting there waiting for her to break down. It was strange but she almost wished he'd called more often.

The doorbell rang and Cory nearly jumped out of her skin when the loud sound resounded through the quiet space. Her dogs started barking and she got up slowly walking toward the door, "Who is it?"

-----------------------------------

John paced anxiously outside Cory's door, trying to decide whether or not he should ring the bell.

"I should have called," he shook his head, feeling like an idiot.

He wasn't exactly sure what made him think paying her a surprise visit was a good idea but he'd changed his mind. What if she didn't want to see him?

"Snap out of it," he told himself, taking his hat off and running a hand over his short hair before putting it back on. This wasn't about him. It was about her. He was worried about her. The last time he talked to her she sounded so withdrawn when she answered the phone that he realized he had to do something. He hadn't even seen her since he, Cory, Mark, and Dawn's mother were asked to appear on Larry King Live to discuss Dawn's disappearance. Cory left the show midway through the interview because she grew too upset to speak. She came back at the end and John could distinctly remember her hand reaching for his under the table a few seconds after she sat down beside him. He held it tightly for the rest of the appearance and she didn't let go of him even after they left the studio. He held her hand the whole way back to the hotel. He'd been so worried about her when Vince took her off the road that he'd been trying to call her twice a week just to make sure she was okay. Jessica told him that when her father died when she was young, she'd been so devastated that, at one point, her mother was afraid she'd have to seek psychiatric treatment for the young girl. John didn't want her to feel that way again. He wanted her to know that he was there for her.

Remembering why he was there, John reached out, ringing the bell. Immediately, he heard her dogs barking loudly and the sound of feet padding toward the door.

"Who is it?"

"Housekeeping," he smirked, leaning against the doorjamb.

The door opened after a few seconds to reveal Cory sporting a surprised expression, "John..hey."

"Hi," he smiled.

John was surprised at how different she looked. Her hair was light, almost blonde, and she looked thinner, not sickly thin just..not like herself. She wasn't wearing any makeup and she looked more tired than he'd ever seen her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was just uh..in the neighborhood," he said, kneeling down to pet the dogs that were jumping around at his feet.

"You live in a different state," the corner of her mouth twitched upward.

She was eyeing him suspiciously and he tried to come up with something good to say.

"You were coming to check up on me," she suggested.

"No of course n..maybe, maybe a little," he admitted.

"Come in," she picked up one of the dogs, stepping aside to allow him to enter. "This is Don Juan and that's Mr. Belvedere."

"Nice to meet you guys," he smiled.

"And for future reference, the housekeeping line only works in hotels," she said, sitting down on the couch.

"You still opened the door," he smiled, sitting beside her.

They sat there for a little while in silence. The dogs were sniffing him and trying to lick his hands and she turned toward him, holding one of the couch's large pillows in her lap.

"So…" he looked at her. "How are you?"

She shrugged, "Tired. Bored. I haven't cried in a good 6 and a half hours."

As John studied her features he thought to himself that he'd never seen her look so innocent and vulnerable. It was strange to him to be in front of her and not be on the defensive.

"Is it getting any better?" he asked.

She shrugged again, "I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I'm fine for a couple days and then there are times where I cant sleep for days in a row 'cause I have nightmares about some psycho kidnapping Dawn. I miss Mark but he wont talk to me. My mother is suffocating me and I don't even have the energy to tell Regina what a bitch she is..With all this time off..I don't know what to do with myself."

"So come back to work," John suggested.

"I wish it was that easy," she smiled wistfully, looking down at her hands. "I want to but..Vince doesn't think I'm ready."

"What do you think?" he asked.

She looked away and then back at him, "I understand why Vince is giving me and Mark time off but..the more I sit around here..the more I think about everything."

"Did you tell him that?" he asked.

She shook her head, "This is all just really complicated..You know..I used to go to D with all my problems.

She closed her eyes and John could see tears escaping through her lashes.

"And here I go again," she laughed, shaking her head. "God I _hate_ this."

He scooted closer to her, removing the pillow from her lap and taking both of her hands in his, "Hey..listen to me…don't give up on Dawn..We don't know what happened yet."

"I know I just.." she sniffed, blinking in attempt to stop her tears. "I'm just scared. I miss her so much and I wanna know…"

She trailed off, shaking her head and looking down. He let go of one of her hands and tilted her chin up, making her look at him. He used his thumb to wipe the tears from under her eyes. He hated to see her this upset. "We're gonna get through this. All of us."

Just then, Mr. Belvedere jumped up onto the couch, trying to lick Cory's face.

"See, I told you," John smiled. "All of us."

She laughed, trying to push the dog away.

"How about we change the subject?" Cory suggested.

"Okay," he looked her up and down. "When was the last time you ate?"

"I ate this morning," she said. "Why?"

"You must not have eaten enough," he said, getting up and walking toward the kitchen. "We gotta get some meat back on your bones."

She laughed, "Where are you going?"

"To the kitchen," he said, picking up one of the dogs. "We're gonna make you dinner."

-----------------------------------

"How long has it been since she's slept?" Chris asked Jonah, one of Taylor's nurses. Chris had gotten to know him pretty well since Taylor had been admitted. She'd been in the hospital since the day she tried to kill herself. When Chris received word of Nancy's mysterious death, he'd been afraid to tell her, not knowing how she would react. When he did, his fears were realized. She ripped her stitches out and tried to leave the hospital, claiming her father had killed her mother. She was sedated but when the medication wore off she tried to get out again, claiming that her father was trying to kill her. She told Chris and her doctors about the strange emails she'd received and seeing her father in the road before she crashed her car. The doctors were convinced that she had a psychotic break. Now, she spent a big chunk of her days in therapy sessions and that wasn't going to change until the doctors felt she was stable.

Jonah sighed, "Two, maybe three days."

Chris ran a hand through his hair, wishing there was something he could do. He couldn't help feeling like all of this was somehow his fault. He kept thinking back to the night he came to her hotel room and berated her for keeping secrets from him. He never should have done that. He never should have talked to her that way.

"Dr. Banner says her sessions are getting more and more difficult," Jonah said.

"Difficult how?" Chris asked.

"I overheard him talking about paranoid delusions," Jonah explained. "She's terrified of her father. She swears up and down she saw him, no matter how many times they tell her he's dead. She keeps refusing sleeping pills because she has such bad nightmares. I cant imagine what that poor kid's been through to make her this way."

Chris shook his head, "Neither can I."

-----------------------------------

"I had no idea you could cook," Cory smiled as she and John sat on her couch. They were eating the spaghetti he made and talking while the dogs sat on the floor eating bread.

"Don't get too excited," John laughed. "If it's not pasta or somethin' grillable, I don't work with it."

"Grillable?" she smirked. "Is that even a word."

"It is in my dictionary," he responded.

She laughed, taking another bite of her food.

"You really like it?" he asked.

"It's good," she nodded. "And I'm very picky about my spaghetti so you should be flattered."

"Well, when you put it like that, how could I not be?" he laughed.

"So…now that we've covered what a great chef I am..Can you explain to me what one person needs with an apartment this big?" John asked, looking around the penthouse. It was bigger than most houses.

Cory shrugged, "It's not _that_ big."

"How many bedrooms do you have?" he asked.

"Well..there was four but we had a wall knocked out and turned one into a closet and dressing area," she answered.

He gave her a look and after a few seconds she laughed, "Okay so it's a little big. It was a gift."

"And you wonder why I call you Princess," he smirked.

She laughed, "No I don't."

They talked more while they finished eating, with Cory even getting a second plate. He helped her take care of the dishes and John caught her up on what she was missing on the road. Before they knew it, it was after midnight. John could see her eyelids drooping and he was getting pretty tired himself.

"I should probably head out," he said. "You should get to sleep."

She shrugged, "I guess."

He could swear there was a hint of disappointment in her expression as he stood up.

She got up, walking him toward the door. He turned to face her when they reached it, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

She shrugged, "I don't know..my mother's probably coming to torture me with family time again."

"Well I'll still be in town tomorrow, maybe I'll stop by and grill you something," he suggested as she held the door open for him.

She smiled, "That would be nice."

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The Next Day…

"V!"

Viveca looked up from her menu to see her sister practically bouncing toward the table. Lianna was coming from a meeting with Stephanie and from the looks of it, things went well. She was surprised that Lianna had taken to the business the way she had. After being in the audience at Wrestlemania, it seemed she'd been bitten by the bug. She'd come to as many shows as she could until it seemed she was Viveca's permanent travel partner. Her looks weren't lost on the guys backstage and soon Vince had noticed her and asked Viveca if he thought she would consider a job offer. Of course, Viveca said she would.

"Well?" she looked up at her sister expectantly.

"They want me to be Eric Bischoff's personal assistant," Lianna smiled. "Providing that all goes well on the UK tour."

"That's fantastic," Viveca stood up, hugging her tightly.

"I have a test photo shoot in two days," Lianna explained as they sat down. "Will you go with me?"

"Of course," Viveca smiled, touched that she wanted her to come with. She picked up her coffee, "Now where the hell is your brother?"

"William?" Lianna smirked. "Probably somewhere sniffing after Jessica."

Viveca laughed, "Jesus, he really wont give up. I had no idea his attention span was that long with women."

William had been a notorious womanizer since he could walk. His crush on Jessica was understandable, she was gorgeous, but Viveca was baffled that he hadn't given up yet. Jessica wouldn't give him the time of day.

"Neither did I," Lianna laughed. "I think he's just having a lot of problems understanding that there is a woman in this world other than us that doesn't want him."

"Egos do sort of run in this family, don't they?" Viveca laughed.

"Not with me," Lianna smirked. "I don't know where the rest of you get that from."

"Well hello beautiful lady," Matt Hardy walked over, giving Viveca a hug. He pulled up a chair, casting a glance at her sister, "Lianna."

"Hardy," Lianna rolled her eyes, picking up a roll from the basket on the middle of the table. "I didn't realize you were invited to our family brunch."

"You know, one of these days, you two are gonna learn to get along," Viveca said. "You know, like maybe _not_ looking like you want to kill each other."

"Please, I wouldn't go to jail for killing _him_," Lianna picked a piece off of her roll.

"She wants me," Matt smirked.

"Oh yes, that's why I get nauseous every time I see you," Lianna sneered.

Viveca couldn't help but laugh. Matt and Lianna fought like cats and dogs every time they were in the same room.

"So Matt..what are you doing down here?" Viveca asked. "Shouldn't you be packing?"

"Already packed," Matt smiled proudly. "Jeff's the one who hasn't started yet. Maybe you should go see if he needs help."

"Ooh, subtle," Lianna pretended to shiver as she buttered her roll.

"Lianna, why don't you shove that in your mouth?" Matt suggested.

"Make me," she made a face at him.

"Don't tempt me," he pointed.

Viveca rolled her eyes, "I highly doubt Jeff wants my help."

She appreciated Matt's constant efforts to try and get her and Jeff to talk but she needed to face facts. If he ever did give her another chance, it wasn't going to be any time soon.

"You never know until you try," Matt shrugged.

"I hate to admit that he's right," Lianna said. "But you do need to try and talk to Jeff."

"I have," Viveca insisted. "You guys, he hates me."

"He loves you," Lianna insisted. "He's just hurt. Give him some time."

Viveca sighed, "How much time does he need?"

-----------------------------------

"So how does Glenn not know your baby doesn't exist?" Dawn asked as she heard Savannah pacing back and forth.

"My baby does exist Dawn," Savannah said. "Inside you…you're just..holding it for me."

"You are one sick bitch, you know that?" Dawn asked.

She cried out when she felt a stinging slap across her face.

"I suggest you watch your mouth Dawn," Savannah said, her breath hot on Dawn's ear. "I need to keep you pregnant but that doesn't mean I cant hurt you at all."

Dawn felt her stomach turn and she took deep breaths, hoping the nausea would pass.

Savannah backed away and started walking around again.

"How did you even find out I was pregnant?" Dawn asked. "Cory couldn't have told you."

"She didn't," Savannah answered. "I followed you to your doctor's office. There's not too many reasons to see an obstetrician."

"Why me?" Dawn asked. She still couldn't figure out what this woman's problem was with her. She'd never met her in her life. "Why did you follow me? What did I do to you?"

Savannah sat in the chair beside the bed, taking her time to answer the question. After almost a full minute she spoke up, "What makes you think my problem is with you?"

-----------------------------------

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about John?" Vince asked. He was in meetings for most of the day but when his secretary informed him that John had called saying he had to talk to him about something important, he had her invite him to the restaurant where he was having lunch. He didn't have too much time but John was one of his biggest stars so he figured he could give him a few minutes.

"Well…" John rested his elbows on the table. "It's about Cory."

"Cory?" Vince looked up from his plate, somewhat surprised. "I was planning on stopping by to see her tomorrow while I'm in the city..how is she?"

"Not great, honestly," John sighed. "But..I think that there's something you could do to help her."

"And what's that?" Vince asked, curious.

"Bring her back to work," John suggested.

Vince sighed, taking a minute to enjoy his food before he responded, "John..I understand your concern for Cory but..I cant do that. I just don't believe Cory's ready right now."

"I understand that you're looking out for her in your own way," John said. "But I think I know her a little better than you. She is ready."

Vince wasn't sure he liked the way John was talking to him but he tried to ignore it. Everyone was a little on edge because of Dawn's disappearance.

"Need I remind you that the last time Cory was in front of a camera, she broke down and had to leave in the middle of an interview?" Vince asked.

"She was being asked about her pregnant best friend disappearing," John said. "It was just days after we found Dawn's house trashed. All these theories had been all over the news about who could have abducted Dawn and if she was dead or not. And she blames herself for it happening…How did you expect her to react then?"

Vince didn't say anything. Linda and Stephanie had tried to convince him not to put Cory in front of the media but disagreed, subjecting her to a day of media from the Today show to Larry King.

"I understand that you're trying to handle this in the best way possible for everyone but..if you saw Cory at home, you'd know that being there isn't what's best for her. You and I both know Cory is a worker. She wants to be out there in front of the fans. She wants to do her job. And you know she's great at it."

"I cant argue how good she is," Vince said. "But if I put her on TV and she freezes up, then what do you propose I do?"

John thought about it for a few moments and then looked back up at Vince, "We're doing house shows for the next week..bring her on the road, put her in front of the fans, if she can do it then..she can do it on TV."

Vince knew John wasn't going to let him eat in peace unless he placated him somehow so he sighed, "Tell you what…I'll think about it."

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Chris watched Taylor as they sat in her room. She looked so innocent and fragile. She was sitting on her window sill, her long blond hair tied back in a ponytail. The white t-shirt and green sweatpants they'd given her to wear were too big for her, especially with all the weight she'd lost since she was hospitalized. Her big blue eyes were focused on something outside and she had her forehead resting on the glass. Chris had been there for the last few days so he could spend a lot of time with her before he left the country for almost two weeks for the UK tour. This was the first time in a few days that she'd seemed pretty lucid.

"He's out there," Taylor said quietly.

"Who?" Chris asked.

"You know who," Taylor said. "I've seen him out there."

"Your father?" Chris asked, moving closer to her. "You've seen him out there?"

She nodded slowly, "He cant get me in here though…He cant hurt me here…can he?"

Chris looked out the window to the courtyard, following Taylor's gaze. Maybe she wasn't crazy. Maybe she really did see someone…But who was it?

"Can he?" she asked again, turning her gaze to him.

"No," Chris shook his head. "I wont let anybody hurt you."

-----------------------------------

"What the hell is this?" Mark stared.

Glenn had woken him up that morning with a phone call telling him to meet him for lunch and that he had something important to talk to him about. Now, they were sitting across from each other at a steak house not far from Mark's ranch and Glenn had just pulled out a ring box.

"What do you think it is?" Glenn laughed. "I'm gonna give it to Jacinda."

Mark cringed at the thought of Glenn proposing to this woman. He still couldn't explain what it was but he just shake the bad feeling he had about her. He didn't particularly like her and he definitely didn't trust her.

"You wanna marry this girl?" Mark stared.

Glenn nodded, "What else can I do? She's pregnant with my baby."

"That doesn't mean you're in love with her," Mark reminded him.

"I think I am," Glenn said. "She's amazing."

"She's..somethin' alright," Mark looked away.

"Look, I know you two aren't exactly the best of friends but..I care about her," Glenn said. "I didn't give you shit for all the women you picked that I couldn't stand."

"There havent been that many," Mark laughed. "And I never tried to marry any of the ones you didn't like."

"Yes you did," Glenn accused. "Are you forgetting Savannah?"

"Oh God," Mark groaned at the mention of his ex. That woman had been certifiable but for some reason, Mark got roped in. He'd stayed with her _way_ too long.

"That woman was a whack job," Glenn laughed.

"Yes she was," Mark nodded.

"You remember that time she keyed your car because you were late picking her up from the airport?" Glenn asked.

"How could I forget?" Mark shook his head. "Listen, this isn't about my crazy ex, it's about you and Jacinda and…I just want you to be sure you know what you're doing. Marriage is a big step."

"I know it is," Glenn nodded. "But..I think it's a step we're ready to take."

-----------------------------------

John walked toward Cory's building, dialing her phone for a third time. He hoped she wasn't still out with her mother. He needed to talk to her right away. He rounded the corner and then stopped when he heard loud barking. He looked up to see Cory walking her dogs. Her face was mostly covered by a huge pair of sunglasses and she didn't seem to notice him until the dogs started dragging her toward him.

"Hey," she waved when she saw him, walking quickly as the dogs struggled to get to him.

He knelt down, giving them attention so they would calm down.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I told you I was gonna come grill you somethin'," he smirked. "Did you forget that fast?"

"No, I just..I wasn't sure you were coming," she shrugged.

He smiled, "Well here I am…I tried calling."

"I left my phone upstairs," she smiled apologetically. "You know, I'm not sure if I have anything grillable upstairs."

"That's okay," John smiled. "That's not the only reason I'm here."

"What else would you be here for?" she asked, pushing her sunglasses up on top of her head.

"Well..I wanted to make sure you start packing when you get back in the house," John said casually.

"Packing?" she frowned, confused. "For what?"

"Well," John put his hands in his pockets. "We've got a plane to catch tomorrow."

"Excuse me?" she stared.

"You're coming on the UK tour," John smiled.

"I am?" she stared, her mouth dropping open. "Oh my God!..Wait…why? How?"

"I kind of, sort of..talked Vince into bringing you back," John explained nervously. He hoped she took this well.

He winced as if he was waiting for a punch while she processed what he'd just told her. He was surprised when he heard her squeak and he felt her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly and he pulled his hands out of his pockets, hugging her back.

They hugged for quite some time and John couldn't say he didn't enjoy the feeling. After a minute or two, she pulled back, staring up at him. She looked surprised and confused, "Thank you so much John."

"You don't need to thank me," he insisted.

"Yeah..I really do," she said quietly. She opened and closed her mouth twice before finally asking, "Why would you do that for me?"

He shrugged, "That's what friends do..right?…At least, I hope we're friends."

Her blue eyes grew misty and she nodded, "Yeah…we are."

He pulled her into another hug and she leaned against him, her head on his shoulder, "Thank you."

"Stop thanking me," he laughed, pulling away. "I'm just glad to see you smiling."

Her smile grew wider and a blush touched her cheeks. John felt an intense urge to reach out and touch her face but he kept his hands at his sides. This wasn't the time to be trying to touch her.

"You know..I wasn't kidding about packing," he said, trying to focus on the matter at hand. "We really do leave tomorrow. And we're gone 12 days."

"Oh God you're right," she looked panicked momentarily. She looked up at him, "You have any plans tonight?"

"None that I'm aware of," he shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

She smiled shyly, "Wanna help me pack?"

"I don't know Cory," he said. "That could take a while."

She shrugged, "I don't mind if you don't."

-----------------------------------

"I knew one day you'd end up in the psych ward," Officer Jenks laughed, walking into Carmen's room. After Nancy's murder, Carmen had been traumatized and deemed unstable. She'd been transferred to a section of the facility reserved for mentally incompetent prisoners. Fortunately, Rhona had also been transferred there so she was able to keep an eye on her. And she needed to. She was in pretty damn deep now and she had to be careful. No one could find out the truth about what happened to Nancy. No one.

Carmen was sitting on her bed, sketching. That's all she ever seemed to do.

"What are you drawin' now?" Jenks asked.

"Nothing," Carmen quickly shook her head, not looking up from the paper. Her hand was moving quickly as she skillfully drew the image.

"I said what are you drawing?" Rhona snatched the book away from Carmen, sending sheets of paper onto the floor.

Rhona froze when she saw Carmen's sketches. They were all of the same person. She'd drawn him from different angles, in different light, even with different facial expressions but they were all the same man.

Carmen's eyes went wide and she got off of the bed, trying to round up the drawings.

"Get up Carmen," Jenks ordered.

"But-"

"Get up!" Jenks yelled, grabbing the inmate by her shirt and yanking her up, pushing her toward the bed.

Rhona knelt down, picking up Carmen's sketches.

"He-he's the one..the one who killed Nancy," Carmen stammered. "He's the one who-"

"Shut up," Jenks stood up, holding the drawings. She stood up, ripping the papers apart.

"Stop it!" Carmen yelled.

Jenks considered throwing the scraps in the garbage but thought better of it, shoving them in her pocket.

"Stop!" Carmen squeaked.

Jenks pulled her gun out of her holster, pointing it at Carmen's chest.

Carmen backed up until she found herself sitting on the bed, cowering against the wall.

"Listen to me closely because I am not going to say this more than once," Rhona whispered. "You are _never_ to draw that man again. I want you to forget you ever saw him. Forget what he looks like. Get it out of your head."

"But-"

"If I ever see this face in here again Carmen…you'll regret it," Jenks whispered. "I promise. Got it?"

Carmen was trembling in fear but she didn't say anything. Angry, Jenks hit her on the side of the head with her gun, "Do you understand me Carmen?"

A trickle of blood ran from Carmen's hairline over her temple as she nodded, tears filling her eyes. When Rhona was sure she was sufficiently terrified, she backed away, putting her gun back and opening the door, "Somebody get a nurse in here…Carmen's hurt herself again."

-----------------------------------


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay peeps, First I apologize that it's taken me so long to put up the next chapter, things got crazy for a little while there. Second, I must thank you for the reviews, I'm glad you're all still interested in what will happen to everyone. This chapter should answer some of the questions you guys may have about the lovely Savannah. I'm already working on the next and I will do my best to make sure it doesn't take as long for an update. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!!**

**Quick Disclaimer/Warning: This story will contain some more serious themes here and there including character death and abuse, i obviously cant say who but i dont want to keep repeating the disclaimer so just be aware.**

**Chapter 2...**

Dawn rubbed her face against her shoulder, her cheek getting sore. Since her arms were tied up, she could use her shoulder to push the blindfold away from her eyes. She wanted to see where she was being held. She knew that the more she could memorize, the more she would have to tell the police once she escaped. Once she finally managed to move the dark cloth, she blinked, having trouble adjusting to the bright overhead light. Once she could clearly see, she looked around, trying to take everything in. The room was small but not cramped. The queen size bed she was on was against the back wall. There was a large wooden dresser along the opposite wall. On it there was a small television. The floors were dark wood and the wall to her left was all exposed brick. There was a large window but Savannah had covered the bottom half with black cloth. She couldn't see enough to get any idea of where she was. She looked down at her stomach and tears filled her eyes when she saw that she was beginning to show more. She could feel that she was but she hadn't been able to actually look at her growing stomach. She had to get out of there, she had to find some way to escape. She needed to save the baby growing inside her from that psychopath. She looked up at the ceiling, trying again to figure out why Savannah chose her. She didn't know the woman. She'd never seen her before Cory hired her. She wouldn't have even made the connection that this woman was Cory's assistant if she hadn't remembered Cory's voicemail. She'd been wracking her brain, trying to remember ever meeting anyone named Jacinda or Savannah and she just couldn't think of anyone. Then, as she lay there, staring around the room that had become her prison, she remembered something…Savannah had asked what made Dawn think her problem was with her. They didn't have many people in common. It couldn't have had anything to do with Cory. She wanted her baby..it must have been Mark. She closed her eyes, trying to think of Mark mentioning someone named…

_Darlin', that woman was the biggest mistake I ever made…Savannah had some serious issues_

Dawn's eyes snapped open when she remembered it. A few months into their relationship, she remembered Mark telling her about his last serious girlfriend. He didn't speak of her much except to say that she was completely unstable and he, thankfully, hadn't heard from her since they broke up.

Dawn felt like an idiot for taking so long to remember. Glenn had even told her about what a psycho this Savannah was and somehow she'd forgotten about it until now.

So that was it? That crazy bitch wanted to take her baby because Mark dumped her. She couldn't believe she'd been dumb enough to think that she was just some crazy woman who wanted a baby and she had the misfortune of being chosen. This was all about Mark.

For once Dawn hoped Savannah would return soon. She was going to confront her.

-----------------------------------

Mark is sitting in his living room, trying to pack up the pictures of Dawn that he had around the house. They've become too hard to look at. He sits down, exhausted. He has never felt anything like the rollercoaster of emotions he's been on since Dawn's disappearance. At first he had been so damn angry with her. He couldn't believe that she was pregnant. She was going to carry his baby and she didn't feel he had the right to know. And then Cory…he'd never thought in a million years that she would betray him the way she did. He never thought that she would keep such a huge secret from him..She'd tried calling and writing and emailing but he ignored her. She knew how he felt, he'd made that very clear to her. There was nothing left to say.

After those first couple days of blind anger toward the world, he'd experienced fear so strong he felt pain in his chest. He couldn't imagine who would do this, who would hurt Dawn. They hadn't asked for ransom, this obviously wasn't a money issue which meant whoever had taken Dawn didn't have any reason to keep her alive. So many emotions followed, sadness, disbelief, rage. Some days he felt this strong sense of hope like maybe, somehow, they could find her. Most days though, he was just scared. Scared that he'd never see her again.

-----------------------------------

_Glasgow, Scotland_

Lianna turned around in front of her sister, smiling nervously, "Okay, what do you think?"

She was wearing a very short black baby doll dress and she'd straightened her dark waves, sweeping her hair over one shoulder.

"You look fantastic," Viveca smiled proudly. Everyone had arrived at the arena early because Vince wanted them to take pictures for the Judgement Day programs that would be for sale at the pay per view later in the month. He'd decided to include Lianna in the photo shoot and she was more nervous than Viveca had ever seen her.

"Who would've thought that wrestling would become the family business?" Viveca smirked.

Liam and Lianna had both watched wrestling when they were growing up but Viveca never got the appeal until she actually started working in the company. She definitely wouldn't have expected two of her siblings to be working with her though. She loved having William on the road and she was thrilled at the idea of having her little sister around. She hoped that everything went well and Vince signed her.

"You really think I look okay?" Lianna looked at herself in the mirror, fussing with her hair.

"Would I lie?" Viveca asked.

"I know you wouldn't," Li sighed. "I'm just so damn nervous. I'm not used to this."

Viveca looked up at the doorway just in time to see Matt Hardy walking by.

"Hey," she waved. "Come in here for a second."

Matt entered the dressing room with a towel slung over his shoulder, "What's up?"

"Will you tell Li she looks good please?" Viveca requested. "Maybe she'll believe it coming from a man."

"You'd have to find one first," Lianna turned around, her uneasy expression replaced by an amused smirk.

Matt didn't say anything for a second and if she didn't know better, Viveca would think he was gawking at her sister. The moment soon passed though and he looked annoyed, "You wouldn't know one if you saw one."

"Oh shut up Hardy," Lianna rolled her eyes.

Viveca gave Matt a look, trying to remind him what she called him in for.

Matt shrugged, "She looks fine."

"Such a sweet talker," Lianna sneered. "No wonder you get all the ladies."

Viveca rolled her eyes, looking out the doorway again. Matt was obviously not the right choice for this particular task. The next person she spotted was Shelton Benjamin.

"Shelton can I get your opinion on something?" she walked over to the door.

"Sure," Shelton shrugged, entering the room. "What's up?

"I'm trying to convince my sister that she looks fantastic," Viveca explained. "Matt's not helping."

"Then Matt's crazy," Shelton smirked, looking over at Lianna. "You look beautiful."

Viveca noticed her sister's cheeks get pink as Shelton smiled at her.

"Thank you," Li smiled.

"Not a problem," he smiled. "I gotta go. I'll see you all later."

Shelton patted Matt on the back, "Be nice Hardy."

He waved, mainly at Lianna, before exiting the room.

"Well," Viveca raised a brow, looking over at Lianna. "That was interesting."

-----------------------------------

"I wanna thank you again for letting me come back," Cory said as she sat with Vince.

"Well to be perfectly honest you have John to thank," Vince admitted. "I didn't think it was the right time but he convinced me that this is what you need."

"It is," Cory nodded. "I'm ready to get back to work. I _need_ to get back to work."

"That's good to hear," Vince smiled. "I want you to know that we're going to ease you back into things. For right now we want to focus on things between you and John and then Stephanie had the idea for some sort of stalking angle with Brock. He stalks you, that sparks the feud between him and John."

"Okay," Cory nodded. She wasn't exactly thrilled that her role wouldn't require much work in the ring but she was just glad she had _something_.

"You're sure you want to do this?" he asked.

She nodded, "Absolutely."

"Good," he smiled, standing up. She stood with him and to her surprise, Vince reached out, pulling her into a hug. "Good to have you back. Now go get dressed."

"Thanks," she smiled again before leaving the room. She walked through the production area, stopping when she heard John's voice. She turned to see him posing for pictures. At least he was supposed to be posing for pictures. Currently, he had Dale, the photographer, laughing to hard too focus.

"You over here causing trouble Cena?" she walked over, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Cory!" Dale exclaimed, putting his camera down and walking over to hug her.

"Hey Dale," she smiled, hugging him back.

"Now who's causing trouble?" John smirked. "You're interrupting my work."

"What better interruption could you ask for?" Dale laughed, letting her go. "You look fantastic."

"Thank you," she smiled.

Dale looked over at John and his smile widened, "Why don't you two take a couple together?"

"Sounds good to me," John shrugged.

Cory looked down at her jeans and t-shirt and shook her head, "I'm not quite ready for a photo shoot Dale, maybe once I get dressed."

"Oh come on," John walked over and before she knew it, he had scooped her up into his arms.

"Hey!" she laughed, kicking her legs, trying to get down.

Dale picked up the camera, "Say cheese."

-----------------------------------

"I don't know how I'm gonna make it one more week," Jessica shook her head.

"You're gonna have to," Hunter reminded her. "The doctor hasn't cleared you yet."

Hunter knew Jessica was itching to get back to work and he couldn't blame her. When he tore his quad, it was like torture not being able to get in the ring. Especially that last few weeks when he _knew_ he was ready but the doctors wouldn't clear him. She didn't have to wait much longer though. Her doctor had basically assured her she would be cleared when they got back from the tour. Hunter stopped walking when he heard loud laughter.

"Aww," Jessica smiled, looking at something off to her left.

Hunter followed her gaze and saw what Jessica seemed to think was so touching. Cory and John were taking pictures with Dale. Cory took John's hat off and put it on top of her head, crossing her arms over her chest while John laughed at her mean expression. Then, he took the hat back, holding it up while she tried to take it away from him.

"I'm so glad he talked to Vince," Jessica said. "I haven't seen her having fun since we found out about Dawn."

Neither had Hunter. Every time he'd gone to visit her, she just looked..depressed. She would smile on occasion but she hadn't really looked like she was having a good time. He couldn't help but feel a little pang seeing her joking around with John. He was supposed to be one of her best friends too, he should have been able to help.

"I wonder if they're ever gonna wise up and get together," Jessica sighed.

"I think maybe we should just give them some time to be friends first," Hunter said. "Everyone's always trying to push them together, look how that worked out before."

He didn't understand why everyone felt such a need to meddle in Cory and John's love life. He'd been all for pushing them together at first but now he wasn't so sure about it. All they did for months was fight, maybe they weren't as perfect as everyone thought. At least not yet.

"I guess," Jessica shrugged. "I just think they're one of those couples that are..meant to be. I wish I could have that."

"Yeah," Hunter shrugged. "I think a lot of people wish for that."

-----------------------------------

"Well hello there," Savannah breezed into the room, smiling brightly. She stopped when she saw that Dawn's blindfold was moved. "What's this?"

"You're Mark's ex girlfriend," Dawn said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Well congratulations," she smiled. "How did you figure that out?"

"I have plenty of time to think," Dawn sneered. "He used to talk about you."

Dawn was sickened when she saw a blush creep up the brunette's cheeks, "Did he?"

"I'm assuming you had tons of plastic surgery and that's why he and Glenn don't recognize you," Dawn shook her head, still in disbelief. "How could you put yourself through all that just to get revenge?"

Savannah leaned against the dresser, crossing her arms over her chest, "You know…I don't have a lot of time to spend with you Dawn but I suppose I could offer you some explanation."

"I think I deserve at least that," Dawn said.

"I didn't have the surgery just to get revenge," Savannah began. "The night Mark and I broke up the last time…it was storming out. It had been raining all day and it was just getting worse. He left and I…I had to go after him. I had to talk to him, to reason with him. I knew if I could just find him and tell him how much I love him and remind him how much he loved me..he would change his mind. I got in the car and I was driving toward his hotel…Someone clipped the back of my car. The roads were so slick the car slid out of control and I crashed into a tree, then the person who clipped me crashed into my car. I don't really remember the next month. I was in the hospital. The doctors thought I'd be paralyzed. I broke 16 bones, got glass imbedded in my face, internal bleeding, I could go on…I had to go through months of physical therapy and reconstructive surgery. I came out looking like a different person. Once I was healthy, I changed a few more things, implants, collagen. I dyed my hair, some colored contacts and I look like a different person. And the whole time I was thinking about him. I had to go through all of that because of him. Because I loved him enough not to give up on us. I almost died just because I wanted to be with him and he didn't even come to see me. He didn't call. Nothing."

By the time she finished, Savannah's eyes were filled with tears and she had a white knuckle grip on the side of the dresser.

"So you want to get back at him?" Dawn asked, disgusted. She couldn't bring herself to feel bad for this person. "That's what this is all about? You're kidnapping me, you want to kill me and take my baby all because someone broke up with you? That's _life_ Savannah. _It happens_. People break up."

"He lied to me!" Savannah screamed, making Dawn jump. "He told me he loved me. He said we would be together forever. He made _sure_ that I was _completely_ devoted to him and then when I was _consumed_ by him, he ripped my heart out of my chest."

Savannah came over to stand by the side of the bed, getting very close to Dawn, "He made me feel like I wanted to die. I didn't care about anyone or anything but him."

The anger drained out of her voice and her tone became almost light and cheerful, "But now I see that it wouldn't do any good for me to die…No one would feel sorry. No one would care. And Mark..he wouldn't understand what he did to me."

Savannah smiled, shaking her head, "What better way to break his heart than to take away the woman he thinks he loves…and take the baby he promised me we would have together."

"This is not your baby," Dawn struggled against her bonds.

"It will be," Savannah smiled.

"This is not going to work," Dawn spat. "You cant do this. You need to just accept that it didn't work with Mark and _move on_. He's a good person, he didn't mean to hurt you."

"Hurt me?" Savannah yelled. "He didn't just hurt me Dawn, he killed me! He killed _Savannah_. I don't see her when I look in the mirror anymore. You cant imagine how delighted I was when I found out that little moron Cory needed someone to help run her pathetic little life."

"Don't you talk about her like that," Dawn said.

"I will talk about whoever I want, however I want," Savannah insisted. "In case you've forgotten, you aren't exactly in a position to make demands."

"What if the baby looks like me and Mark?"

"Why do you think I picked Glenn?" Savannah laughed. "Light eyes, reddish brown hair..come on Dawn."

"Savannah you need to move on…You need to let go of Mark."

Savannah started laughing, the tears finally falling from her eyes.

Dawn could feel herself begin to shake. She was truly terrified. In one conversation, if it could even be called that, Savannah had seemed to go through a thousand different emotions. She was volatile, violent. She had a hair trigger temper and she could go from childish giggles to haggard screaming in a matter of seconds.

Savannah finally stopped laughing but the smile didn't leave her face as she knelt beside the bed…"Dawn…I'll never let go of him."

Dawn closed her eyes, afraid to respond in any way. It was obvious now that if she wanted to make it out of this alive…she was going to have to choose her words very carefully.

-----------------------------------

"Lianna! Wait up!"

Lianna stopped when she heard the voice behind her. She immediately regretted stopping when she turned around and saw Adam jogging toward her. Since he'd caused her sister's breakup she'd developed quite a bit of venom for the man. The thought of talking to him held no appeal for her.

"Lianna," Adam smiled as he approached.

"Scum," she smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.

He sighed, "Still mad at me I see."

"For breaking up my sister's engagement, ruining her relationship with Jeff quite possibly beyond any repair and leaving her a teary mess all the time?" she snipped. "Yeah, I think I may be just a _wee_ bit mad at you."

"Look, you may not wanna face this but..your sister kissed me back," Adam insisted.

"She was startled," Lianna shrugged. "But once she recovered, she pushed you away and ran after the man she _actually_ wants. Unfortunately now he cant trust her..because of you."

She started to walk away but he gently grabbed her arm, "Wait, I need your help."

She stared at him in disbelief, "Excuse me? You cant possibly think that I would help you with _anything_."

"You know, you're obviously a really caring, loyal sister," Adam said. "Viveca's lucky to have that."

"Please stop sucking up to me," Lianna said. "I don't enjoy it."

"Okay listen…" Adam ran a hand through his hair. "Like I said, I need your help."

"If you want my help in gaining the ability to sing high notes, I will gladly oblige you," she smirked menacingly.

"I need you to get Viveca to talk to me," Adam said.

If she wasn't so annoyed she would have burst into laughter. He actually thought she was going to convince her sister to talk to him.

"If we're not working she wont even look at me," Adam said. "I just-"

"Adam, let me stop you right there because frankly.._I don't care_," Lianna said. "You don't have a friendship with V anymore because you fucked up. She doesn't talk to you because she doesn't want to and I cant blame her. And I _damn_ sure am not going to try and convince her to. And if you ever ask me for help again, Viveca not speaking to you will be the very least of your problems."

-----------------------------------

_Later that night…_

"Come on try this one," John said, unwrapping the piece of candy.

Cory made a face, her nose wrinkling up as she shook her head, "No. I'm done."

"Why?" John laughed.

"Because that last one tasted like ass," she said, wiping her tongue with a paper towel.

When they checked into the hotel the manager had given everyone a bag of Scottish candy and when they got back after the show, John had convinced Cory that they should try them without reading the label to see what they were.

"You try it," she said, drinking from a bottle of water.

John shrugged, popping the chocolate into his mouth. When he bit into it, the taste of lemon filled his mouth and he covered it, trying not to spit it out.

"Not good?" Cory laughed.

He shook his head, looking around for somewhere to deposit it.

Cory giggled, holding up a napkin, "Here."

He spit the candy out into the napkin and quickly picked up his cup, gulping down some Coke to wash the taste out of his mouth.

"See, I told you we shouldn't be experimenting with this stuff," she laughed, pushing the bag away. "You gonna be okay?"

"I don't know," John said. "That was _nasty_."

She started laughing again and he balled up an unused napkin, throwing it at her. It hit her in the eye and she stopped, her mouth dropping open, "Hey!"

He laughed trying to get away before she lunged at him. She was too quick though, pushing him onto his back

"That was not nice," she pointed at him, trying to keep herself from laughing.

"You're right," he laughed. "I apol-"

He stopped, flipping her over onto her back, tickling her sides. She squeaked loudly, trying to wriggle out from under him.

"_Stop_!" she laughed, out of breath as she tried her best to roll away. "Stop it!"

"Not so tough now, huh Princess?" he laughed.

She shrieked, pushing at him, laughing so hard her cheeks were turning red. He took a mental note of how cute she looked with his nose all crinkled up. He didn't usually see her laugh this hard.

After a few minutes of pleading, he finally decided to let her up. He moved away and she got up, flopping down on the bed, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh God, my stomach hurts now," she breathed, holding her arms over her stomach.

"That's what you get," he said, sitting next to her. They grew quiet and he laid down next to her, looking up at the ceiling, listening as her breathing returned to normal. He smiled to himself, glad that he'd been able to make her laugh like that.

She was quiet now though. Worried, he looked over at her. She sat up slowly, looking down at her hands, some of her hair falling over her face. The mood in the room had changed pretty quickly. She was avoiding his gaze but he could see she was blinking a lot.

"Hey," he sat up. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she shook her head quickly. "Nothing."

"Then why cant you look at me all of a sudden?" he asked, tucking her hair behind her ears and tilting her head up to face him. "I thought we were having fun."

"We were," she said. "We are I just…"

She looked down again, "Is it stupid that I feel guilty?"

"What do you feel guilty for?" he asked, confused.

"Having fun," she shrugged, looking up at him, her eyes beginning to look misty. "I feel guilty because I'm here, with you, having fun while God knows what is happening to my best friend. I should be doing something to help. I should be trying to find her. I should-"

"Cory stop," he took her face in his hands. "Stop."

"I cant help it," she tried to blink away her tears. She took a deep breath, "I just don't know what to do."

John pulled her close to him and she rested her head on his shoulder, her forehead touching his neck as he wrapped his arms around her. He wished that there was something perfect thing that he could do or say to make her feel better. But as much as he wanted to, he couldn't bring Dawn back.

John moved them back so he could lean back against the pillows. She cuddled close to him and he rested his chin on top of her head, "Cory..Wherever D is..she doesn't want you to live like this…She doesn't want you to feel guilty for smiling. She doesn't want you to beat yourself up."

She nodded and sniffed but didn't say anything.

"You being happy is important to Dawn," he said. "And since she's not here to make you laugh every day..it's my job until she gets back."

A small laugh escaped her and he held her tighter, "See..that's all I want."

They were quiet for a few minutes and her breathing slowed. He thought she was asleep until she propped herself up on her elbow, looking up at him. He was getting pretty tired himself and he smiled at her sleepily, "What's up?"

"Thank you," she said softly. "I don't know why you're doing all of this for me but…thank you."

"I told you, we're friends," he said brushing her bangs away from her face.

"Yeah, I guess we are," she smiled, her eyelids drooping. "Since we're friends, when I ask you for a favor, do you promise not to take it the wrong way?"

"I'll try not to," he smiled. "What is it?"

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked. "I really don't want to move from this spot."

He smiled at the thought that she wanted to sleep in his arms. Their declaration of friendship didn't mean he couldn't still think about them being more.

"Of course I will," he said, guiding her head back to his shoulder. "Get some sleep. We gotta get up early tomorrow."

"Goodnight," she yawned.

He reached over turning off the light, "Goodnight."

-----------------------------------

"I cant believe we got stuck in a room together," Matt said, plopping down on his bed. There'd been a mix up with their hotel arrangements and Matt's reservation was lost.

"We didn't get stuck together," Jeff clarified. "You didn't make your reservation right and I was nice enough to let you stay with me."

"Whatever," Matt took off his sock and threw it at his brother.

"Wow, you should really put your shoes back on," Jeff waved his hand in front of his face.

"My feet do not smell," Matt defended himself. "That bad."

"Whatever, you keep funkin' up my room, I'm gonna kick you out," Jeff said. "You can go stay with Lianna."

"I would let you kick me in the nuts first," Matt rolled his eyes at the mention of the young woman.

"You two are ridiculous," Jeff laughed.

"She's always starting shit with me," Matt said. "And now Vince is gonna hire her."

"He is?" Jeff asked, looking surprised.

Matt nodded, "You know, you'd know that if maybe you spoke to Viveca every once in a while."

"I don't need to speak to Viveca," Jeff sighed, knowing where this conversation was going. Matt just didn't give up. He couldn't seem to accept that things weren't going to go back to the way they were.

"Come on Jeff," Matt sighed. "You need to stop this. Are you really gonna give up everything you had with V over one little thing?"

"One little thing?" Jeff looked at his brother angrily.

"Okay so you caught her kissing your friend," Matt winced. "But she's said more times than I can count that Adam kissed her. She ran after you right away Jeff, it was just bad timing. You love her and she loves you."

"Yeah, she loves me enough to cheat on me," Jeff said, feeling bitter all over again. Why did Matt have to bring this up?

"One kiss isn't necessarily cheating," Matt said. "Not when you wont bother to hear the whole story."

"I have heard the whole story, from Adam," Jeff said. "And according to him, it wasn't just one kiss."

-----------------------------------

Michael opened the door to Savannah's apartment, looking around. He was out of breath, his heart had been beating out of his chest since she called him. He'd answered the phone to hear his sister's frantic voice telling him she was in trouble and that she needed him. She begged him to meet her at her apartment and he'd rushed right over. He was always worried for Savannah. She'd always been…fragile. She was unpredictable, no one could ever tell what she was going to do. And the way she sounded when she called…he was afraid to find out what she'd done this time. Still, she was his sister and if she needed him, he had to try and help her. Hopefully once she arrived he would be able to talk her into getting the help she obviously needed.

The apartment looked drastically different from the last time he'd been there. The pictures of her ex that she'd plastered all over the walls were gone. It was actually clean, the cleanest he'd ever seen the place.

"What am I gonna do with you Savvy?" he looked around, running a hand through his hair.

The windows were open and when a breeze blew near, he caught a whiff of the awful stench he'd smelled the last time he was there. He walked toward the hallway where the bedrooms were, determined to find the source and get rid of it. The repugnant smell was filling his nostrils and making him lightheaded.

He saw the guest room door cracked and he gently pushed it open. The stench hit him in the face like a brick wall and he covered his face with his sleeve as he walked further in the room. He looked around for something out of the ordinary and frowned when he spotted something on the floor covered with a black tarp.

"What the hell?" he felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. His hands shook in terror and suddenly he wasn't sure this was a mystery that needed to be solved. Trying to push his nerves aside, he took a deep breath and then grabbed the edge of the black fabric, snatching it away to reveal the source of the stench. What he saw caused bile to rise up in his throat.

"Oh My God…"

He willed his feet to move, to turn around and leave the room but before he could do anything, a blinding pain shot through the side of his head and everything went black.

-----------------------------------

Savannah lowered her hand, moving her finger away from the trigger, watching as her brother dropped to the floor. She'd just done the hardest thing she ever had to do. Her hands were shaking a little and she took a deep breath, reminding herself that it was necessary to do what she did. Michael hadn't left her any choice.

Michael had been there before, without her permission. He'd come into the apartment. He knew things, things she'd tried her best to keep from him. Her brother had always tried to stand by her but after seeing what he saw, he wouldn't be able to anymore. That's why she had to make sure he couldn't tell anyone. She looked around the apartment, surveying her surroundings. She'd cleaned the place from top to bottom. She'd packed up every single thing that could prove she lived there. He'd allowed her to get the apartment in his name and she'd been very careful to never let the neighbors see her there. Michael was the outcast in the family, none of them talked to him and as far as she knew, he really didn't have any friends. All she had to do was put Michael's handprint on the gun, no one would have trouble believing he'd killed himself. She was sure the neighbors had heard the shot and were calling the police so she needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Before she did though, she knelt beside her brother, blinking away tears. She placed her hand on his back, he was still warm. Her breath hitched in her throat and she leaned down, laying her head beside her hand, "I'm so sorry Michael…I just couldn't let you ruin this."

-----------------------------------


	3. Chapter 3

**Well folks...this chapter has actually been about 90 percent finished for some time but I haven't been able to post it because I had an illness in the family and I wasn't even home enough to finish and post. Be patient with me folks, I'm gonna work on semi-regular updates now that things seem to be calming down. And I am aware of the things pointed out in your reviews peeps, just keep in mind...Savannah isn't supposed to be perfect, everything is written as it is for a reason. Now, with that said, here's two new chapters. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!!!!**

**Chapter 3...**

_2 Weeks Later…_

_Texas_

"Wait a minute…you're saying Adam told Jeff that he and Viveca were having sex?" Lianna stared.

"For about a month before they broke up," Matt nodded. "He said he wanted to tell Jeff the truth because he felt guilty."

"Why are you just telling me this now?" Lianna stared. Matt had practically pulled her out of her rental car the second she arrived in the arena parking lot insisting that he needed to talk to her.

"Calm down, you've been in Kentucky for two weeks, I don't have your number," Matt reminded her.

Her expression softened just a bit and she shook her head, "Well you know that's a lie, right?"

Matt nodded, "_I_ know it but Jeff…"

"Why would he believe him?" Lianna asked.

"I don't know, maybe because he caught them making out," Matt gave her a look.

"They were not making out, _he_ kissed _her_," Lianna pointed.

"It doesn't matter who kissed who, Jeff saw his fiancée's lips on his friend's…When you see something like that, you tend to believe anything is possible," Matt explained.

"Does Viveca know Jeff thinks she was cheating?" she asked.

"No, I haven't told her yet," Matt shook his head.

"Hardy, what the hell _have_ you been doing?" she asked, annoyed.

"You know Lianna, I do have a life," Matt said. "I've been a little busy."

"Yeah, right, whatever," she waved her hand. "One of us should tell V and the other should kick Adam's ass. I vote you tell V."

"Okay being under contract for two weeks doesn't give you the ability to kick a guy's ass," Matt pointed. "But you're right..we do need to tell V."

-----------------------------------

"There she is," Jessica said, standing up.

Hunter looked up to see Cory rushing into the hotel restaurant in a t-shirt and shorts, her hair soaking wet. They'd been waiting for her to join them for almost a half hour.

"Sorry, sorry," Cory came over, giving Jessica a hug and then giving Hunter a hug and a kiss on the cheek before sliding into the booth next to him.

"You do know we have to be at the arena in 20 minutes, right?" Hunter looked over at her.

"I know but I woke up late, I couldn't sleep very well last night," she said, giving him an apologetic look. "I'm not that hungry, we don't have to stay here too long."

Hunter felt like an ass for getting on her about time. She'd obviously been doing better since they were back on the road but John had told him that she still wasn't sleeping very well. He pushed his plate toward her, "You can finish this."

"Thanks," she smiled, picking up a piece of his bacon. "So..did I miss any interesting conversation?"

Hunter knew the look Cory was giving Jessica. It was that expectant expression she always seemed to have whenever Jessica and Hunter spent any time alone together. He was well aware that Cory still held out hope that something would happen between the two of them. Hunter had finally come to terms with the fact that he and Jessica weren't meant to be anything more than friends. He cared about Jessica a lot but the spark he once thought he felt was gone. Unfortunately, it seemed that while Hunter was deciding he was no longer interested in Jessica, she seemed to be deciding she _was_ interested in him. He didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't there.

"Not really," Jessica shook her head. "We were just talking about my match tonight."

"And how you're totally gonna kick ass in your ring return?" Cory smiled proudly.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," Jessica smiled.

"You know, John and I were talking to William at the airport last night," Cory said.

"Oh God," Jessica rolled her eyes.

"Was he professing his love for Jessie?" Hunter smirked.

"That guy does not give up," Jessica shook her head.

William had been pursuing her pretty relentlessly since he was hired. Hunter thought he was actually a pretty nice guy. He'd gone out to drinks with him and Matt once and he seemed cool.

"Well maybe he just needs to see that you're interested in someone else," Cory suggested, trying her best to seem innocent. "Don't you think so Hunter?"

Hunter shrugged, "I don't know if that will work. Maybe you should just give him a chance."

-----------------------------------

"I cant wait to see you," Glenn smiled, walking into the arena, phone pressed to his ear. He hadn't seen Jacinda in weeks and it was killing him. The doctor told her that some of the injuries she'd suffered in her car accident could make her pregnancy difficult so he suggested she stay at home. She was still handling Cory and Glenn's business from her apartment.

"I'm not sure you wanna see me," she laughed. "I'm getting fatter every day."

"I'm sure you look beautiful," he laughed. "And I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" he could tell she was smiling. "What kind of surprise?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," he smiled, thinking of the ring. He'd already planned his proposal, he just hoped she would say yes.

"Well I cant wait," she said. "Listen, I have to go. I'll call you tonight…I love you."

"I love you too," he said before hanging up. He shook his head as he put his phone away, wondering how he got so lucky.

-----------------------------------

"Will you hurry up?" Savannah rolled her eyes, leaning against the bathroom door. She tapped her gun against the door, "I don't have all day you know."

She heard the toilet flush but Dawn didn't come out immediately. Savannah wasn't terribly concerned though. There was only one way out of the house and there wasn't a chance in hell that Dawn would get through her.

The door opened and Savannah smiled at Dawn at the glare Dawn shot at her.

"Bout time," Savannah smiled, pointing the gun at her. "Get back to the bed."

"Savannah-"

"I told you I don't have all day," Savannah grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the bed.

Dawn's skin looked sickly pale and she had a hand over her stomach as she sat down on the bed.

Savannah frowned, "You're still sick?"

Dawn had been throwing up all morning. Savannah had left her untied for a few hours because it was getting to be too much of a pain to keep tying and untying her to the bed.

"I'm pregnant," Dawn reminded her. "And you know, there's the whole being held captive thing."

"Lay down," Savannah instructed, putting the gun down on the table beside the bed as she tied set about tying Dawn's wrists to the headboard.

"I have to go pick up some things," Savannah said. "I'll bring you back some crackers, maybe that'll settle your stomach."

"Your generosity knows no bounds," Dawn said dryly.

"_Dawn_," Savannah's jaw clenched. "I am sick of your smart mouth. "I am living here in this house with you instead of being with the man I love just so that you and my baby are taken care of."

"You're living here because if you were on the road, that _idiot_ Glenn would touch you and know you're not pregnant," Dawn argued. "By the way, when you see him next week, how are you going to explain that you have a pillow strapped to your stomach?"

"That's none of your concern Dawn," Savannah smiled. "You see, my plan is going absolutely perfectly and nothing is going to change that. I'm not worried."

Dawn turned her head away and Savannah tightened her blindfold for no reason other than to give the other woman a headache. Sometimes she could get way too mouthy for Savannah's taste.

"Now, I'm off to visit a friend," Savannah said. "Feel better."

-----------------------------------

"Viveca can you stop walking so fast?" Adam walked behind her as they passed through the black curtain into the backstage area. He'd been trying to talk to her for days but she just kept ignoring him. Unless cameras were on them, she wouldn't even look in his direction.

"Viveca," he called after her again.

She turned around angrily, "_What_?"

"V..we haven't talked in weeks," Adam caught up to her, trying to take her hand.

She snatched her hand away, "I was hoping that would continue."

"Come on," he ran a hand over her hair. "We used to be friends."

"You're right, Adam, we were," she nodded. "Until you fucked up my relationship."

"You cant blame me for that," he insisted.

"Cant I?" she laughed.

"I didn't do that on purpose," Adam defended himself. "I didn't know Jeff was going to show up when he did. Why are you so angry with me?"

"I'm not angry with you Adam," she shook her head. "Angry is an understatement. I _pissed_. I'm pissed because this isn't all my fault and yet I'm the one who catches all the flack for it. I'm pissed because I feel like even some of my good friends look at me like I'm some kind of cheating skank when I didn't do anything. You think it's difficult having me not talk to you? I _love_ Jeff and he wont even _look_ at me. _That's_ why I'm pissed at you."

Before Adam could muster a response, she turned, walking away. This was going to be much harder than he'd originally anticipated. If she was this angry now, he could only imagine how pissed she would be if she found out what he'd been telling Jeff. He was going to have to find some way to show her that he wasn't the asshole she'd come to think he was. And he had to do it fast.

-----------------------------------

"Hello ladies," William strolled into the women's locker room, not bothering to knock. Entering the haven that was the WWE Divas half dressed had quickly become his favorite part of the show.

"William, what are you doing in here?" Lianna asked, hands on her hips.

"Not looking for you little sister," he smiled, patting her on the shoulder. His eyes quickly found the person he _was_ looking for.

Jessica was standing in front of a mirror, meticulously arranging her dark waves.

"Well, well, don't you look beautiful?" William stood next to her, flashing his best smile.

"Hello William," Jessica sighed.

He couldn't help but smirk at the tone of voice she always used when she said his name. He wasn't an idiot, he could tell that Jessica had been unimpressed thus far. But he'd never met a woman he couldn't charm and she wasn't going to be the first.

"You need any help getting oiled up?" he smirked.

"I don't have to wrestle for another 20 minutes," Jessica said.

William laughed, "I know."

-----------------------------------

Jessica tried not to roll her eyes at William. She really didn't know how to deal with William. It had been a long time since someone had hit on her as blatantly as William on such a regular basis. She was used to all kinds of comments from fans but not from someone she saw almost every day.

"No thanks," she smiled at him, giving in to the urge to roll her eyes when she saw him staring at her breasts. She looked around, trying to find some way to get out of this conversation. She smiled when she saw her sister walking into the room.

"What'd you say Cory?" she asked.

"Um.." Cory looked around confused, "Nothing."

Jessica gave her a look that she hoped said 'Help Me'.

"_Ohhh_," Cory said. "Right, yeah…I need your help with something…in the hallway. Now."

"Little sisters," Jessica shrugged apologetically at William. "They always need something. I'll see you later."

Jessica rushed out into the hall with Cory who turned around, looking amused, "Mind telling me why I just saved your ass?"

"He's hitting on me again," Jessica whispered.

"And that's my problem?" Cory laughed.

"You're such a good sister," Jessica made a face at her.

"Maybe this is a good thing," Cory suggested.

"What is? William's relentless pursuit of a piece of my ass?" Jessica said.

"Think about it," Cory smiled. "Maybe a little competition could light a fire under Hunter."

"Hunter knows how William is," Jessica shook her head. "It hasn't worked yet."

"That's because all you do is talk about how uninterested you are," Cory said. "Maybe if you're a little nicer to William…"

Cory shrugged, not bothering to finish her sentence. Jessica appreciated her sister's concern but there was no way she was going to flirt with William just to get Hunter's attention. She'd just have to do it the old fashioned way.

-----------------------------------

Dawn could feel sweat beading on her forehead as she tried twisted her wrists back and forth, pulling as hard as she could against her bonds. In her rush to get out of the house, Savannah hadn't tied her up as tightly as usual and Dawn knew it was now or never. This was her chance to get out. She was nervous beyond belief but she knew she still had some time before Savannah returned and she had to try. She was still nauseous and a little out of breath but the bonds were getting looser by the minute and if she worked fast, she might have a chance to get out of the house. She wasn't sure what she would do then but she would figure it out. She had no choice.

-----------------------------------

Mark tossed a bunch of t-shirts into the bag, not bothering to fold them. He was never big on packing everything neatly. He figured as long as his clothes got where they needed to be, it didn't matter what condition they were in. Any time Dawn and Cory ever saw him packing, they would always push him out of the way and do it for him, insisting that you could take more with you if you folded everything. He sat down next to his suitcase, leaning against his headboard. In two days, he would be back on the road with the WWE and he was beginning to wonder if he'd made the right decision.

He'd asked to come back because he needed the distraction. He figured that maybe if he focused on work 24/7, he wouldn't find himself thinking of Dawn every minute of every day. But he wasn't sure how people would act around him now. There was nothing he hated more than that look people gave him. That sad, pitying look that people seemed to direct at him every time he left the house. Even Glenn had been handling him with kid gloves lately. Truthfully, the only person who'd tried to give him a kick in the ass lately was John. When Mark was toying with the idea of telling Vince he was ready to come back, he talked to John about it and his friend immediately told him to pack his shit and get to the airport because Vince wasn't gonna believe he was ready if he didn't tell him face to face. And he was right, Vince was shocked at Mark flying all the way to Connecticut to talk to him and after a long discussion, they had a plan for him to come back and get right back into the championship picture. John was the first person Mark called when he left Vince's office. But not everyone was going to act like him. People were going to whisper or stop talking when he entered a room. He was going to hear about how everyone thought he should be sitting at home or out looking for Dawn. He wished he could. He wished that there was enough information to go on. If he had just one clue as to where she might be, he would drop everything and go off in search but the cops had nothing.

He took a deep breath and got up, walking over to the dresser and pulling out a few pairs of jeans. If he kept dreading going back, he was never going to do it. He needed to just suck it up, pack his things, and try his best to enjoy his last couple nights at home.

-----------------------------------

"I swear if she calls one more time," Cory pushed her phone away. Her mother had been calling her all day and it was getting rather annoying.

"Just ignore her," John said, taking her phone and silencing the call. "There."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"I want you in a good mood," he smiled. "Especially when we meet Mark tonight."

John had arranged for Mark to meet them at a bar after the show was over. He knew how much It was killing Cory not to have him in her life and though Mark would never admit it, it had to be killing him too. As a friend to both of them, John couldn't just sit by and watch.

"I still don't know if that's a good idea John," Cory's eyes drifted down to the table.

"Cory, you two have to talk," John touched her hand. "I'll be right there with you..It'll be okay."

She gave him a confused smile then shook her head.

"What?" he laughed.

"I'm just trying to figure out when you became a knight in shining armor," she smirked. "It's weird."

"Oh thanks," he smiled.

"Hey guys."

Cory smiled, waving when Lianna walked into the catering area. Cory had come to like Viveca's sister quite a bit. And she had a feeling she was going to be a great addition to the roster.

Lianna rolled her eyes as she walked by Matt Hardy, who was getting a water bottle, "Hardy."

"Ice Queen," Matt nodded to her.

"Do they remind you of anyone?" John smirked.

"Matt and Lianna?" Cory laughed. "Not at all."

-----------------------------------

Dawn was still pulling and twisting her arms. She could hear herself grunting and she was lifting herself off of the bed she was pulling so hard. Finally, her right wrist slipped free of it's bond. Dawn heard a cry escape her throat and she scrambled quickly, reaching behind her head and tugging at the knot that tied her blindfold. After a few seconds, she ripped the blindfold away from her face, tossing it aside. She quickly squeezed her eyes shut. They'd been covered for so long that the light was painful. Fortunately, Savannah hadn't tied her feet so she didn't have too much work to do. She sat up, turning so that she could untie her left hand. She still couldn't see but she didn't need to. Soon, her left wrist was free and she collapsed back on the bed. She took a few seconds to catch her breath and tried opening her eyes. The light still hurt and everything was blurry but she would have to manage. She stood up shakily, her legs felt like jelly and before she knew it, she was falling to the floor. Her cheek hit the wood hard and she cried out, blinding pain shooting through her head. For a moment she thought she was going to throw up again but the moment passed and she sat up, then used the bed to pull herself to her feet. She took it slowly, making her way toward the bedroom door. Her counting came in handy since she couldn't see clearly. She remembered the number of steps to the door and she knew how many to take down the hall. She squinted, looking around the house, seeing that she had made it to the living room. She looked down at herself and almost laughed. She had forgotten what she was wearing the day Savannah brought her here. A Deadman Inc. t-shirt. She felt tears fill her eyes and she tried her best to blink them away. It was hard enough to see without tears clouding her vision. She stumbled around, searching for a phone. Savannah only used her cell phone but maybe there was a landline somewhere. She tripped a few times but she just kept pulling herself back up, knocking things over.

"God damn it, where is it?" she yelled, stopping and looking around the room. She ran a hand through her hair, her wincing when she felt the throbbing pain in her cheek. She couldnt waste anymore time looking. There wasn't a phone. She just needed to get the hell out of the house. She stumbled toward the door, willing her legs to work correctly. She could see a series of locks on the front door and she prayed that Savannah had been dumb enough to leave them open. She closed her eyes shut and said a quick prayer before grabbing the door handle and pulling with all of her might. The heavy door swung open and she fell backward. She had barely hit the ground though before she was up and moving toward the door. When she got outside, she could feel herself quickly being soaked with rain. She held on to the railing as she walked carefully down the stairs. When she got to the bottom, she could feel gravel digging into the bottoms of her bare feet. She had to ignore it. Pain wasn't important. Getting away was important.

-----------------------------------

Cory stared out the window, watching all the darkened buildings along the road grow closer and closer and then fade into blackness. John and Jessica had some conversation going but she'd given up on pretending she was listening. She was pretty sure the two of them could understand where her head was.

When John told her that he wanted to take her with him to meet Mark, she'd said no without even a thought. Mark didn't want to see her, he'd made that perfectly clear. Very soon, they would have to work together again but until then, she was pretty sure nothing would make him happier than her keeping her distance. Somehow, John had convinced her that this was a good idea. He'd sat her down and tried his best to make her believe that she and Mark would sit down and talk and maybe, somehow, when they were done, they would be friends again. Once they got in the car though, she got so nervous she could barely even buckle her seat belt. As they got closer to the bar, her palms grew sweaty and she felt like her heart beat was jumping all over the place. She had no idea what to expect and she was fairly certain Mark didn't even know she was coming. He had every right to feel the way he did. She betrayed their friendship. She took his trust and threw it out the window but maybe, just maybe, he would be able to look past his anger and see that she was sorry and she needed him. And if that didn't happen…she didn't really know what she'd do then.

"You ready to do this?"

Cory jumped when she felt John touch her arm. She hadn't realized the car was stopped. She looked down at her hands and John reached over, covering them with one of his.

She looked up into his blue eyes, hoping he would choose this particular moment to say something perfect and awe inspiring, something to take away all of her anxiety.

"You can do this," he squeezed her hands. "Come on, let's go."

She smiled at him. It may not have been a speech but it was enough to get her out of the car.

She got out, following Jessica and John to the bar's entrance. She stuffed her hands in her pockets to keep herself from wringing them nervously. John held the door open for both women and as they walked in, Jessica looked over her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. Cory nodded, scanning the bar for Mark. He wasn't hard to spot. He was sitting at the bar, talking to the bartender.

She stopped walking when she saw him, allowing herself to hope that he would turn around and be happy to see her.

-----------------------------------


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4...**

"Your drinks are on me tonight Callaway," Rob, the bartender, announced, setting a beer down in front of Mark.

"Oh yeah?" Mark asked. "Why's that?"

"Well once you go back to work we wont see ya so much around here," Rob shrugged. "I figure I should give you a reason to come back when you're back in town."

"You know I will," Mark assured him. Mark spent many a night in this bar since he'd been off the road. It was like a second home. He hadn't become a drunk or anything but..when he needed to get out of the house, the bar was the first place that came to mind.

Rob was about to say something else but he stopped, his eyes going wide.

"What's with the fly trap?" Mark gestured to the bartender's open mouth.

"It's all for those two," Rob smiled, pointing at something over Mark's shoulder.

Mark turned around to see what the fuss was about. He saw John first and was about to wave to his friend when he saw what Rob was so enthralled with. John was accompanied by Jessica..and Cory. John and Jessica both smiled but Cory just stood there, staring. He could see even from across the room that she was practically trembling.

Mark was completely unmoved. Anger began flooding his senses and before he knew what was happening he was up off the barstool, walking toward them.

"What the hell is wrong with you Cena?" he asked angrily. "What were you thinkin' bringin' her here?"

She stepped forward, "Mark I-"

"I don't wanna hear a damn word you have to say," Mark turned on her, pointing in her face.

"But-"

"But _nothing_!" he pointed. "Listen to me little girl, your words mean _nothing_ to me."

"Mark, back off," John said, trying to push Mark away from her.

"No you back off Cena," Mark pushed the shorter man away. Mark couldn't contain his anger as he looked at her and her pathetically timid expression. Maybe it was because this was one of the first times they'd been in the same room since he found out what she did. He felt a huge rush of anger and frustration and without thinking, he grabbed Cory's hand, "Hey everyone, look who's here!"

"Mark, stop it," Jessica ordered.

"This person was supposed to be my best friend," Mark said, his voice booming throughout the bar, holding Cory's arm up high. "I thought she would _never_ lie to me. But when she found out the woman I loved was pregnant with my child..she didn't tell me! She didn't think I had a right to know. And now..I'm never gonna see her or my child."

Mark threw Cory's arm down, making her stumble back.

"I hope you're happy with yourself Cory," Mark pointed, trembling with fury. "Because it's _your_ fault she's gone."

Cory's eyes were overflowing with tears by the time Mark was done. She was shaking like a leaf. The entire bar had stopped moving, everyone was staring back and forth between the two of them. John and Jessica were looking on, stunned.

Cory turned around as sobs began to rack her body and she ran toward the front door.

"You know what Mark," Jessica glared at him in disgust. "You make me sick."

With that, Jessica followed her sister outside and Mark felt his breathing slowly returning to normal As the door closed, he felt a hard shove to his chest and he stumbled over a chair. He had to grab onto a table to keep from hitting the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you man?" John asked. "How could you do that to her?"

"How could you bring her here?" Mark asked.

"She's your friend," John pointed. "And all you've done since we found out about Dawn is treat her like _shit_."

"What the hell do you want me to do?" Mark yelled. "You think what she did was okay? You don't think I have a right to be pissed?"

"She wanted to tell you!" John insisted. "Don't you think she tried to get D to tell you herself? She was tearing herself up every day. You have no idea how guilty she felt. And now it's killing her that she doesn't have you in her life and you treat her like that. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"You want me to feel bad for her?" Mark laughed. "She's not a victim Cena."

"I cant imagine how you feel," John said, lowering his voice. "I don't know what I would do if I was in your shoes. I don't know how I would handle losing someone I love like that…but you might wanna take a second to think about how Cory feels."

Mark shook his head, looking away.

"You once told me that girl was like a sister to you and if I hurt her, you'd kill my ass," John reminded him. "Well who's hurting her now?"

Mark felt his jaw tighten but he didn't say anything. He didn't even look at John.

"If she was ever really a sister to you..then you need to realize that this is a time when family needs each other. She needs you Mark, and from the way you look…you sure as hell need her."

-----------------------------------

"Okay," Lianna took a deep breath as she and Matt reached the door to Viveca's room. "Just go in there and tell her what you told me."

"Wait," Matt turned to face her. "When did we decide that _I_ have to tell her?"

"Why _wouldn't_ you be the one to tell her?" Lianna asked. "You told me."

"I told _you_, her loving younger sister, so that _you_ could tell her," Matt pointed. "She's less likely to hit you."

Viveca had a tendency to lash out at whoever was closest when she was angry and that was precisely why Lianna had no intention of being the one to tell her about Adam's lies.

"Not necessarily," Lianna shook her head. "Look, Jeff is your brother and you were friends with Adam…technically, you're closer to the situation than I am."

"She's your sister," he insisted.

"And your friend," she retorted.

"Why don't we just go get your brother?" Matt suggested. "He can tell her."

"I thought of that," Lianna sighed. "He's not here and we need to do it now."

"Rock, Paper, Scissors," Matt pointed.

"What?"

He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn't going to give up.

"Fine," she sighed..

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot."

Lianna smiled triumphantly when she covered Matt's 'rock' with her 'paper'.

"Two out of three," Matt suggested.

Lianna rolled her eyes and was about to knock on the door when it opened and Viveca stood there looking annoyed, "What the hell are you two doing out here? I can hear you talking."

"Well," Li smiled. "Matt has something to tell you."

-----------------------------------

John knocked on the door to Cory's room, hoping she answered. He'd called her ten times on his way back to the hotel and she wasn't answering his phone. He felt horrible for forcing her into that situation with Mark. He really hadn't expected that to happen. He never imagined Mark would humiliate and berate her in front of a bar full of people.

"Cory," he knocked again. "Please, open the door."

After a few seconds, the door opened but to John's surprise, Cory wasn't the one who opened it. John found himself face to face with a shirtless Hunter.

"Cory's in the bathroom," Hunter informed him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, confused. He could feel himself getting angry and he took a deep breath, trying to wait until he heard an explanation. There had to be_ some _explanation.

"My room's next door," Hunter explained, walking out into the hall with John, closing the door behind him. "I was getting ready to go to bed and I heard her crying."

"Where's Jessica?" John frowned, wondering why Hunter hadn't taken a second to put a shirt on before rushing to Cory's aide.

"In her room," Hunter answered. "Cory told her she wanted to be alone."

"And yet you're here," John pointed out.

"Like I said, I heard her crying," Hunter said, looking annoyed. "I wasn't gonna just go to bed. Somebody had to be here for her."

John knew a veiled shot at him when he saw it and he really wasn't in the mood. He and Hunter were friends but his fuse was pretty short after dealing with Mark.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Yeah there's a problem," Hunter nodded. "What the hell were you thinking Cena?"

"What?"

"You know how Mark feels about Cory and you thought it was a good idea to ambush him in a bar, probably drunk off his ass?" Hunter asked. "Are you stupid?"

"Slow down Hunter," John pointed. "I was trying to help Cory. In case you've forgotten, I'm the one who get her back here. I-"

"You're not her only friend," Hunter reminded him. "And you shouldn't have put her in that situation. You should have known better."

"She loves Mark like family and she wants to make things right with him," John said. "She cant do it if they never talk."

"Look, I'm not gonna stand here and argue with you about this all night," Hunter put his hands up. "We're all tired. We can deal with it tomorrow."

"After I talk to Cory," John said, making it clear that he wasn't about to be dismissed.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Hunter shook his head.

"It's really none of your business," John stepped around him, knocking on the door. He knew Hunter was pissed but he didn't really care. Cory was his concern, Hunter could be pissed all he wanted.

After a few seconds the door opened and John's heart lurched when he saw her. Her eyes were puffy and bright red and her nose looked like it had been rubbed raw.

"I'm so sorry," John said, walking into the room and pulling her into his arms. He closed the door behind him, momentarily forgetting Hunter's presence. He heard the doorknob turning but the door had automatically locked. Cory didn't seem to notice and so John didn't move to open it. She clutched his shirt, crying against his chest and John held her close, kissing the top of her head.

"This is my fault," he said. "I shouldn't have taken you there."

"It's not your fault," she cried. "It's mine…Mark was right, it's my fault Dawn's gone."

John pulled away from her, gripping her shoulders tightly, "Cory, listen to me…Mark said that because he was angry but he knows that's not true. And you need to know it too."

"But if I had told him-"

"We don't know what would have happened," John told her, making her look him in the eye. "This is _not_ your fault."

She started sobbing and collapsed against him. John looked over his shoulder, seeing that Hunter had apparently given up and gone back to his room. John lifted Cory up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He laid down, holding her against him.

"It's gonna be okay," he whispered to her, running his hands through her hair. "Everything's gonna be okay."

-----------------------------------

Savannah flipped through the radio stations, rolling her eyes as every one sounded more muffled than the last. She never got any good stations near the cabin. She pressed the seek button, letting it go until something clear finally came through. When she heard a voice, she turned the volume up, grateful for the noise.

"Police are searching for a suspect in the death of Michael Farisse, a 20 year old man found dead in his apartment. Initially detectives thought the young man's death was the result of a suicide but after further investigation, the college student's death has officially been ruled a homicide…So far there are no leads."

Savannah nearly lost control of the car but she held the wheel tightly, straightening it out.

"Oh my God," she whispered to herself. "Oh my God."

-----------------------------------

Chris yawned as he dragged his bags into his hotel room. He was exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to fall onto his bed and sleep until noon the next day. He'd taken a flight to Detroit right after Raw. He hadn't been able to visit Taylor the week before and he'd promised her that he would be at the hospital bright and early Tuesday morning. He didn't bother turning the TV or any of the lights on, he just dropped his bags and flopped down on the bed. He could feel his eyelids drooping and he was about to give in to sleep when he remembered his phone in his pocket. He'd turned it off before he got on the plane and forgot to turn it back on. He turned it on and was about to toss it away when it started beeping, signaling a message. He sighed, dialing his voicemail and pressing the phone to his ear.

"Chris, it's Jonah…You need to get to the hospital as soon as you can…Something's happened with Taylor."

-----------------------------------

Adam opened his door, surprised to see Viveca standing in front of him in a black silk robe. This was certainly a surprise. A very pleasant one.

"Viveca," he smiled. "What are you doing here?"

She was smiling at him. That was a good sign. The scent of her perfume and the tiny peek he could see of her red bra was having a dangerous effect on him.

"Well.." she smiled. "I couldn't sleep..I kept thinking about our last conversation and..I don't thinkI treated you fairly."

"You were angry," Adam shrugged. "I understand."

"You do?" she looked hopeful.

"Of course," he nodded.

"Good," she smiled. "I still feel guilty though…I feel like I should do something to..make it up to you."

Adam tried to keep a straight face although he wanted to grin from ear to ear, "What did you have in mind?"

She smiled, reaching up, her soft hand touching the back of his neck, "Something like this."

**-----------------------------------**

Viveca smiled, pulling Adam's face closer to hers. He closed his eyes, anticipating the kiss and just before their lips touched, she brought her knee up as hard as she could, connecting hard with his groin.

He cried out, stumbling back, his hands gingerly cupping himself.

"You son of a bitch," she pointed. "You told Jeff I was sleeping with you?"

He seemed to be in too much pain to even hear what she was saying.

"Not even in your dreams Adam," she glared. "You are _nothing_ compared to Jeff. And if I find out about you telling him any more lies, I will make sure you never have sex again. Understand?"

She didn't wait for a response, instead she tightened the belt on her robe and turned, walking back toward her room.

She smiled over her shoulder. He could barely stand.

"Nighty night Adam."

-----------------------------------

Dawn was in the woods. She could feel branches scratching at her arms and legs and she was sure the bottoms of her feet were bleeding. She really hadn't known what to expect when she escaped the house but she'd been hoping for a busy road or another home, something, some way to insure her safety. Instead, she found nothing but trees. Her legs were feeling closer to normal and she raced as fast as she could muster, branches whipping her face and legs. Her lungs were on fire and she desperately wanted to stop and rest for a minute but she couldn't. She had to keep going. She had to keep running. She was running for her baby's life.

-----------------------------------

"Carmen, you've gotta be more careful," Tamara said, cleaning the scratches on the back of the inmate's arm. She'd gotten a panicked call from one of the guards that Carmen was freaking out again and she'd hurt herself. Fortunately, she just had a few bad scratches but Tamara was starting to wonder if Carmen would ever get better. She always seemed so..troubled.

"Tami, I have to give you something," Carmen whispered.

"Carmen-"

The young woman hopped down off of her bed and reached under her mattress, pulling out a folded up piece of paper.

Carmen's hand shook as she placed the paper on the bed in front of Tamara.

"What is this?" Tami asked, confused.

Carmen didn't answer and Tami unfolded the paper, frowning in confusion when she saw the drawing. Carmen had given her quite a few drawings since she started working at the facility but this one was different. Usually her drawings were of flowers or beaches, things of that nature. This was a man's face. A man Tamara didn't recognize.

"Who is this?" she asked.

Carmen's eyes widened nervously and she gulped before she spoke, "He..He's the one..the one who killed Nancy."

"What?" Tami stared.

"I saw him, Jenks brought him..she said he was a doctor,"Carmen stammered. "But he's the one who killed her..Jenks knows. She doesn't want you to know."

"Carmen, you don't know what you're talking ab-"

"Please don't tell on me Tami," Carmen whispered. "Jenks she..she doesn't want anyone to know. Keep it..and if something happens..do what you need to do with it."

-----------------------------------

"Don't touch me! I want Chris! Where is he?"

"Taylor!" Chris rushed past the nurse's station toward Taylor's room.

"Chris!"

Chris's heart raced as he ran toward her room. Jonah had alerted the staff that he was coming regardless of visiting hours so, fortunately, he didn't have any crazed security guards to deal with. She sounded so panicked when she called his name that his heart nearly beat out of his chest. When he got to the door, he could see Taylor in a corner, trying her best to fend off a doctor, Jonah, and another nurse. She was breathing heavily, her hair looked like she'd been pulling at it and her eyes were wide with fear.

"Taylor," he called out to her and she turned, running toward him.

He caught her, nearly falling backward.

"I'm so glad you're here," she clutched him tightly. She pressed her face against his shoulder and he quickly felt tears begin to soak his t-shirt.

"What happened?" he asked, smoothing her hair. He looked up at Jonah, "What the hell happened?"

"He was here," Taylor cried. "He was in my room."

"She says her father was here," Jonah explained.

"Taylor that isn't possible," the doctor said calmly.

"He was!" Taylor insisted. She pulled away, looking up at Chris, her eyes pleading with him to believe her. "He talked to me. I _swear_."

"What?" Chris stared, confused.

"He came in here, he was dressed like a doctor," Taylor cried. "He said that it's not time for me yet..he said he's gonna get them first. Chris he was in here! They don't believe me but I swear he was here."

She collapsed against him again and he held her tightly, anger flooding through him. This didn't seem like some delusion. Taylor truly believed someone had come into her room and if he had, the hospital allowed it to happen.

"I wanna know everyone whose been allowed in this room other than me," he demanded.

"Chris, I checked the logs, you're the only man that's come to see her," Jonah insisted. "You and Dr. Tolliver."

"He was here," Taylor said, shaking violently. "He was in this room."

"I need to talk to security," Chris insisted, determined to get to the bottom of this. "Can you stay here with her?"

"Of course," Jonah nodded. He was the only person in the hospital that Taylor always seemed to trust. Chris felt comfortable leaving Taylor in his care.

"Please don't go," Taylor clutched his shirt.

"I'll be right back, I promise," Chris smoothed her hair again. "Just stay with Jonah. I'll be right back."

Taylor reluctantly let him go and Chris walked out of the room. He wasn't going to leave until he found out who the hell had come into her room.

-----------------------------------

Jonah sat down next to Taylor, putting an arm around her shoulders. He wasn't supposed to have that kind of physical contact with patients but Taylor was different. He felt protective of her, like an older brother. She was obviously terrified of something and he couldn't help but wonder. Taylor wasn't a paranoid schizophrenic. Her doctors weren't treating her for hallucinations. He'd been away from the desk and the other nurse, Kate, admitted that she had no idea who walked b y during the time that Taylor said the man came into her room. There was a possibility that this wasn't her imagination. Dr. Tolliver had convinced her to take a sedative to calm her down. He'd given her a shot and now she was sitting on the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around her. Jonah wished that there was something, anything, he could do to help her.

"Jonah, can you make sure the windows are locked?" Taylor asked quietly.

"Of course," Jonah nodded, even though he'd already done that three times. He got up, dutifully checking the window locks.

"He was here Jonah, I'm not crazy," Taylor insisted.

Jonah turned to face her, "Who was he talking about?"

She looked surprised that he seemed to believe her.

"You said he's gonna get _them_ first…Who?"

"My sisters," Taylor explained. "He said he would get them first."

"I didn't know you had sisters," Jonah said, confused. As far as he was aware, the only family she had was her deceased parents.

"I've never met them, I don't even know their names," Taylor said. "My father always said I wasn't good enough to know them."

-----------------------------------

Dawn ran although her legs were burning. She felt like she'd been moving forever. She was bleeding and she ached all over. Her stomach hurt and she wanted to throw up. She was so tired she thought she might pass out. Finally she stopped. Never in her life had she run this much and she needed to catch her breath. Tears began filling her eyes again as she looked around. All she could see was more trees. Where the hell was she going? How was she going to get help in the middle of nowhere? She felt a pain in her stomach and she put a hand over it, gritting her teeth. Once she felt like she could run again, she took off. She just had to keep going, the woods couldn't go on forever. Eventually she would make it to a road and flag someone down. After a few minutes, she spotted two bright lights. _Headlights_. She felt a burst of energy and she ran faster and harder. When she got close enough to see the outline of the car, she started waving her arms.

"HELP!" she screamed frantically. As she got closer she could see the road and she continued screaming despite the intense pain in her cheek, "_HELP ME_!!PLEASE!"

The car came toward her and Dawn stumbled, falling to her knees. Tears welled in her eyes as the car stopped in front of her. The lights were so bright she couldn't see the driver as they got out of the car.

Then she heard the voice and her heart stopped.

"Hello Dawn."

-----------------------------------

"Security cant find out anything," Chris said, as he approached Jonah. "What are you doing out here? Why aren't you wi-"

"She's asleep," Jonah cut him off, standing up. "We need to talk."

-----------------------------------


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5...**

_4 Days Later…_

"You've gotta tell them Chris," Paula insisted, her voice hushed as she and Chris sat in a corner booth at the diner. He'd called her to let her know he was coming by and that he needed to talk to her about Taylor. She hadn't been able to visit her friend in about a week. She was Taylor's most regular visitor, usually stopping by to see her at least twice a week. Chris had just informed her of the drama that took place at the hospital a few nights earlier. She was worried about Taylor..and Chris. He looked like he hadn't slept.

"Tell them what?" Chris ran a hand through his hair. "Hey guys, just thought I'd let you know you have a sister you never knew about and she says your dead father's coming after you? Somehow I don't think they'd take that too well. I cant help Taylor get out of that place if I'm in there with her."

"But if they're in danger-"

"In danger from _who_?" Chris asked. "I _wanna_ believe Taylor, I do but..her father is _dead_. He has been for years. The hospital has no evidence that anyone came into her room. How am I supposed to tell them that Taylor, a psychiatric patient, is saying a dead man wants to hurt them? It's not possible. She's just…she's hallucinating."

"You said yourself that you didn't feel like she was just seeing things," Paula reminded him.

"But she couldn't have seen what she thinks she did!" Chris insisted. "Paula, what am I supposed to do?"

"Okay you're right, she couldn't have seen what she _thinks_ she did," Paula agreed. "So, we just have to figure out what she _did_ see."

-----------------------------------

"Here, eat this," Savannah dropped the plate on the table in front of Dawn.

Dawn didn't even look down at the food. She stared straight ahead, her jaw clenched tightly. She hadn't spoken a word since Savannah brought her back to the cabin. She was doing her best to keep from breaking down. She had been so close. She had gotten out of the house and ran right to her captor. She would never forgive herself for that.

"Oh come on now, you have to eat something," Savannah smirked, leaning against the table, a gun just a few inches from her right hand.

Dawn glared at her, still not saying anything.

"What? Are you still mad at me?" Savannah asked. "It's not my fault you were dumb enough to think you could get away."

Savannah started giggling and soon she was laughing so hard she could barely stand. She sat down in the chair across the small table from Dawn, trying to catch her breath, "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you looked running around in the woods, screaming like a maniac. _Help! Help me please_!"

The giggles overtook her again and she leaned over, her eyes beginning to water.

Dawn could feel her face getting hot and she got angrier by the second. The sound of Savannah's cackling was like someone shoving rocks in her ears. She couldn't stand it anymore. One of her wrists was handcuffed to the chair but Savannah had left her other hand free for her to eat. Dawn grabbed the plate, throwing it across the table at Savannah's lowered head. The other woman cried out more from surprise than pain. The plate was plastic, it couldn't have hurt much. Spaghetti sauce mingled with her brown hair and it was Dawn's turn to laugh. She giggled uncontrollably for the first time in a _very_ long time. Then Savannah looked up, glaring daggers at Dawn. She stopped laughing when she saw her grab the gun.

Savannah got up, walking over and grabbing Dawn by the hair, yanking her head back and pressing the gun against her throat.

"That was _very stupid_ Dawn," Savannah spoke through clenched teeth. "I am _very_ stressed out right now and my fuse is shorter than usual. So if I were you..I would do my best to keep me from snapping and shooting you in the throat. Do you understand?"

Dawn nodded, her heart beating fast. 

"Good," Savannah stepped away, "Then I'll go get you some more food."

-----------------------------------

"So have you talked to Cory yet?" Glenn asked as he and Mark walked into the arena.

"Why the hell do you ask me that every day?" Mark rolled his eyes. He was really getting sick of hearing that question from the few people who weren't afraid to talk to him.

"Because I keep hoping the answer's gonna be yes," Glenn said. "You've gotta stop this."

"Stop what?" Mark asked, annoyed. "What the hell am I doing that everyone thinks is so wrong?"

"You know what you're doing," Glenn said. "She hurt you and now you want her to feel even worse than you do."

Mark looked away, shaking his head. He didn't understand why everyone kept making him out to be the bad guy. He wasn't the one who did something wrong. Of course there was a part of him that missed their friendship but how was he supposed to forgive what she did?

"Does it make you feel better?" Glenn asked. "Knowing that she's miserable, does that help?"

Mark didn't answer and Glenn shrugged, patting him on the shoulder, "Just think about it. You're angry, and rightfully so but…what would you do if something happened to Cory? What if you keep things going like this and then something happens and she's gone…you'd hate yourself and you know it."

-----------------------------------

"So your father knew Adelle Samms?" Chris asked.

"At the time she was Adelle Spencer Cambridge," Paula said. "And her family was practically royalty. They lived in the biggest house in Gross Pointe. My dad says she threw some pretty legendary parties."

"And he knew Brenda Farrell?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, he went to school with her. Dad and Frank Everett were kinda close in their younger days I guess. They knew a lot of the same people."

"Does your dad know if Frank ever _saw_ his kids?" Brock asked.

"I didn't really ask," Paula said apologetically. "I can though. I can find out what he knows."

Chris looked across the table at her, "I need you to find out everything you can about Frank, his family, anything and everything."

"I can do that," she smiled. "If it helps Taylor."

-----------------------------------

"You know, your mother's even starting to bug me," John laughed as he opened the trunk and he and Cory got their bags out. Cory's phone was ringing loudly in her pocket.

"She's insane," Cory shook her head. "You'd think with a business to run, she'd have less time to stalk me."

"Moms will be moms," John smirked.

"Yeah but she didn't decide to be a mom until like a month ago," Cory rolled her eyes.

They started walking toward the arena and John noticed her steps becoming slower. Since Mark had returned, Cory always seemed apprehensive about entering a building when she knew he was there.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Come on, I got your back."

"You promise?" she smirked over at him.

There were times when John wanted to kiss Cory so badly he didn't know what to do and this was one of those times. Something about the way she was looking at him just made him want to close the small space between them and take her lips with his.

"You're staring at me," she nudged him in the side, starting to walk.

"I wasn't staring at you," he followed her.

She smiled over her shoulder, "Sure you weren't."

-----------------------------------

"Okay, I'm here," Lianna said, walking into the locker room. "What in God's name was so important you had to leave me two voicemails asking when I was gonna be here?"

"I need your help," Viveca said.

"You, my dear, are beyond even my help," Lianna smiled, sitting on the couch.

"Ha ha," Viveca said dryly. "I need your help with Adam."

"Do you want me to choke him?" Lianna laughed.

"No."

Lianna shrugged, "Well then I cant help you."

"Li, be serious," Viveca said, twisting her dark hair around a curling iron.

"Okay, tell me what you need help with and I'll let you know if I can help you," Lianna said.

"I want to get Jeff back," Viveca stated. 

"Obviously," Lianna nodded.

"But if I'm going to do that, I need Adam to stay the hell away from me and out of Jeff's ear."

"And you _don't_ want me to choke him?" Lianna smirked.

"No but I do want you to keep him distracted," Viveca said.

"Keep him distracted how?" Lianna raised a suspicious brow.

"I was thinking maybe you could…I don't know..sorta flirt with him."

"_Hell_ no," Lianna shook her head.

"Oh come on Li," Viveca pleaded. "I _know_ I can get Jeff back as long as Adam is kept out of the way."

"V, have you been standing in front of the microwave too long or something?" Lianna stared at her sister. "That idea is absolutely ridiculous for various reasons. I mean, even if I wasn't _absolutely disgusted_ by the thought of it, I would look like a total schizo. I've been treating Adam like crap since I've been here, I don't think my flirting with him out of nowhere would turn him on."

"You could try," Viveca pleaded.

"Why don't you get William to do it?" she joked. "He's way sluttier than I am."

"Li, I need your help," Viveca said. "You're right..flirting with him is a stupid idea but there's gotta be some other way to keep him out of our hair. _Please_."

"Fine," Lianna sighed. "I'll figure something out. You owe me."

-----------------------------------

_Central Regional Laboratory_

_West Trenton, New Jersey_

"Hey Grier," Owen Wagner called from one side of the lab. "Look at these hairs from the Farisse place."

"Owen, we've gone over the stuff from the Farisse place 8 times," Stephen Grier said, walking over to his friend.

"I know but look at these," Owen said, stepping away from his microscope. "Don't those remind you of something?"

Stephen looked, "I don't know..what?"

Owen walked over to the shelves on the back wall of the lab and pulled out a binder that contained all the info they had on the disappearance of the WWE diva, Dawn Marie. He flipped to the page he was looking for, walking back over to Stephen.

"Look at that," Owen pointed. "Same kind of hair. Exact same color."

"So what?" Stephen shrugged. "How often do we have that happen?"

"But how often do we also have the exact same kind of synthetic wig hair, in addition to the natural hair?" Owen asked. "There's a connection here Stephen. You cant deny it."

"Yes I can," Stephen laughed. "Look give up on this thing. I feel bad for her friends and family but…she's gotta be dead. It's just a matter of finding the body."

"What if it's not?" Owen asked. "What if we can help find this woman?"

"Look Owen, I'm your superior," Stephen said. "And I am telling you to let it go. Farisse killed himself. Dawn is dead. And you are moving on to something else. Got it?"

Owen nodded, "Got it."

-----------------------------------

"When did these get here?" Jessica asked Viveca, walking into the women's dressing room. There was a huge bouquet of roses on the floor. Jessica's arms began to itch as she stared at the flowers.

"A few minutes ago," Viveca smiled. "Aren't they gorgeous? They're for you."

"Yeah they're beautiful," Jessica said, scratching. "You need to get them out of here."

"What? Why?" Viveca laughed. "You don't even know who they're from yet."

"Whoever they're from obviously isn't aware that I'm allergic," Jessica said. "So is Cory. Can you please get them out of here before I break out in hives?"

"Oh God," Viveca rushed over, picking up the flowers, walking past Jessica to get them out of the room. Jessica frowned, wondering who would send her roses.

-----------------------------------

Viveca couldn't resist sneaking a peek at the card. Jessica may not have wanted to know who sent her flowers but she did.

She pulled out the small pink envelope and tore it open. Viveca raised a brow when she realized their wasn't a card in the envelope. There was a picture.

The picture was of Cory and Jessica as kids. It took Viveca a second to realize that this wasn't a normal picture. The young girls' eyes were blacked out with marker.

-----------------------------------

"Jesus, Jeff, I think I'm gonna have a black eye," Adam walked into the locker room Their match had been over for about 15 minutes but Adam's face was still throbbing as if he'd just been hit. Jeff had been working stiff with him and it was beginning to get out of hand.

Jeff shrugged in response.

"Come on man, cant we keep things professional?" Adam asked, frustrated. Everyone was treating him like he was some kind of super villain lately, he was getting a little tired of it.

"Maybe you should've been worried about your pretty face when you were fucking my girlfriend," Jeff suggested.

Adam shook his head, "You know, it's not my fault that your girlfriend wanted me."

Before Adam knew what was happening, he felt like he got slapped with a brick. He stumbled back into the wall. As much as he wanted to hit Jeff back, he knew he deserved what he got. What he said was out of line.

Jeff glared at him for a few seconds and looked like he wanted to hit him again but instead he just shook his head in disgust and left the room.

Adam rubbed his face, sitting down on the floor. He'd gotten himself into a great situation. He lost the girl he wanted, _and_ his friends.

-----------------------------------

William waited near the gorilla position after Jessica's match. He could hear the crowd going wild for her and he smiled, applauding as she came through the curtains.

She picked up a towel, wiping off her forehead and he smiled as she came near him.

"Thought you might need this," he held out an ice cold bottle of water. 

She nodded, taking it from him, "Thanks William."

"So, you did a great job out there as usual," he smiled.

"Thanks," she said, looking around. "Have you seen Hunter? I haven't talked to him all day."

"Nope," William shook his head, mildly defeated. "I'm sure he's here somewhere."

"If you see him before I do, just let him know I'm looking for him," she said, draping her towel over her shoulder and walking away. She stopped after a few steps and smiled at him over her shoulder, "Thanks for the water."

"No problem," he waved as she left, then rolled his eyes turning around. 

She finally stopped to talk to him for a second and it was to ask about Hunter. This was foreign territory to William. Never in his life had he been unable to capture a woman's interest. Jessica had him standing right in front of her but she couldn't even see him because she was too busy looking around him for Hunter. He had to figure out some way to get her attention.

-----------------------------------

_Later that night…_

Matt was somewhat startled by the insistent knocking on his door. He yawned, picking up a discarded t-shirt and pulling it on over his head as he walked toward the door. He was just falling asleep so whoever it was needed a good reason to be bothering him.

He opened the door without checking to see who it was and he was shocked to find Lianna looking up at him.

"Do you have the right room?" he asked, confused.

"I need to talk to you for a second Hardy," she brushed past him.

He turned, closing the door behind him, "_You_ wanna talk to _me_?"

"I know," she tucked her hair behind her ears. "It comes as a shock to me too."

"What do you want?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Viveca wants me to keep Adam distracted while she tries to get Jeff back," Lianna explained. "But you and I both know that Jeff isn't willing to listen to her and _I_ don't have the patience to deal with Adam."

"Point being…" Matt waited.

"Point being, I want you to help me get Jeff and Viveca back together," Lianna said.

He sighed, "How the hell are we supposed to prove to Jeff that Adam's lying?"

"We'll just have to find some way to get him to admit his lie," Lianna smiled.

"How?

Her smile faded, "I don't know yet."

-----------------------------------

Cory brushed through her hair, half-watching Die Hard With A Vengeance. She was tired but once again she couldn't fall asleep. She just couldn't seem to stop thoughts from running through her head. She'd tried turning everything off and laying down but when she closed her eyes she just kept thinking about everything from Dawn, to her fight with Mark, to how to get her mother to stop calling her. Now she was sitting up, watching TV, trying to keep herself from calling John. She felt guilty for leaning on him so much. It wasn't his job to watch over her. She certainly didn't mind always having him around though. He made her life, he made her smile. She didn't feel like she was going to fall apart when he was around.

She found herself laughing out loud as she had such sappy thoughts about John. Never in a million years would she had imagined herself feeling that way about him. He wasn't the person she originally thought he was though. He wasn't _totally_ different but he was a much better version. She picked up her phone, scrolling through the numbers until she found his. Then she shook her head, putting it down. He was probably asleep. She stood up, walking around the room, stretching. She needed to find some way to relax and clear her head. After pacing around for a few minutes, she decided a shower was her best bet and she was rifling through her bag for body wash when there was a loud crashing sound and she screamed as the window along the wall shattered.

-----------------------------------


	6. Chapter 6

**PEEPS!! I'm back, apologies for the lack of update. I'm not gonna bore you with reasons, I'm just gonna say here's the next chapter, hope you like it. The next one is half done so it shouldn't be too long before it's up. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 6...**

John looked around Cory's room, watching as Portia cleaned up the broken glass. A large , gray brick rested on the floor in the middle of the room. His heart was still racing from the panicked call he'd gotten from Cory. He answered the phone when she called expecting her to ask him to come watch a movie with her because she couldn't sleep, he was surprised when he heard her shaky voice telling him to come to her room right away. When he got there, he found her pacing back and forth outside the door. Now, she was sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. Jessica was beside her, with her arms wrapped protectively around her.

John was doing his best to keep his emotions in check but she looked so shaken, all he wanted was to tell everybody to get out and just wrap her in his arms.

"Sir?"

John had completely forgotten that the police officer was talking to him. He tried to turn his attention back to the older man, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if you know of anyone who would want to do something like this to Ms. Samms?" the officer asked.

"No," John shook his head decisively. "She doesn't have any enemies that I know of."

"I know you guys have some pretty.._enthusiastic_ fans, you think one of them could have done this?"

John shrugged, "I guess it's possible."

"Well, we've done about as much as we can," he said, looking over his shoulder as another officer bagged the brick. "I doubt we'll get any prints off that thing but we'll try. Ms. Samms, I suggest you be careful and stay with a friend tonight."

--

Mark rounded the corner, yawning. He'd just finished having a drink with a few of the guys and he needed to get some sleep. He had to be up early in the morning. He heard quite a few voices coming out of the room across the hall from his. It was Cory's room. He rolled his eyes, not in the mood to have to bang on the door and tell her and whoever was with her to shut up. He didn't feel like being told he was picking on her again. The door opened and to Mark's surprise, a police officer walked out of the room. Mark stopped in his tracks, staring at the cop.

_What would you do if something happened to Cory? What if you keep things going like this and then something happens and she's gone…you'd hate yourself and you know it_

Glenn's words played in his head and before he knew what he was doing, Mark's feet were headed for Cory's door.

"Can I help you sir?" the officer quickly stepped in front of him.

"You can get the hell out of my way," Mark tried to push past him.

The officer grabbed his arm, "What do you think you're doing?"

"What's going on in there?" Mark asked angrily.

"I'm afraid I cant tell you that," he shook his head.

"Then why don't you get the hell out of my way so I can find someone who can," Mark pushed him aside, grabbing the door handle. It was locked and Mark started pounding on the door. He was freaking out and knew he would possibly get arrested but he needed to check on Cory.

The door opened and Mark didn't even see who it was, he just knew it wasn't Cory. He barged into the room, looking around frantically. He saw the broken window and two more cops. Then, he saw Cory. She was standing next to the bed, her skin pale as a ghost. She looked incredibly confused but he couldn't force out an explanation yet.

"Mark, now is not the time," John stood up protectively. He was about to step between them but Mark moved around him, grabbing Cory's shoulders and looking her up and down, making sure she was okay. He felt a sense of relief that he couldn't begin to explain when he didn't see a mark on her.

"Mark?" she looked up at him.

He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"What the hell happened in here?" he asked, still holding her as he looked around at everyone else in the room.

Everyone who knew him was too busy staring at him to answer. Finally one of the cops spoke up, "Ms. Samms had a brick thrown through her window."

"What the hell are you doing in here?" he asked, finally letting Cory go. "Why aren't you out there trying to figure out who did it?"

"We're going to do all we can," the officer said. "We're all done here. We'll have a car drive by a few times until you all leave tomorrow. Give us a call if you need anything."

"I will, thank you," Cory nodded.

"That's it?" Mark stared, angry. "That's all your gonna do?"

"That's all they _can_ do Mark," Jessica gently touched his arm. "You need to calm down."

Mark ran a hand over his hair as Portia walked the officers to the door. Once they were gone Portia gave Cory a big hug and told her to call her before excusing herself from the room.

Jessica tried to stifle a yawn and Cory took her sister's hand, "I'm fine Jess, go get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked.

"Positive," Cory nodded.

"Okay," Jessica hugged her, tightly, "I love you."

"Love you too Jessie," Cory smiled weakly.

Jessica left and Mark could hear John and Cory talking but he didn't know what they were saying. He was staring at the window, running scenarios through his head. What if she had been standing there? What if she'd been hurt? Who the hell did this? He couldn't help but think about Dawn. He thought about her at home alone, someone breaking into her house.

He turned to John feeling himself getting angry again, "Were you here with her?"

John sighed, "No…I was asleep."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mark asked. "Why weren't you here?"

"Mark," Cory grabbed his arm.

"You should've been here with her," Mark pointed.

"You're really gonna give me shit right now?" John stared. "I _have_ been here for her, you're the one who's been treating her like shit. Don't tell me how I should've been here, Mark. Fuck you."

"What?" Mark yelled.

"Stop it," Cory stepped between them. "I am _fine_ okay. It was probably just somebody's stupid idea of a joke. I didn't need _either_ of you here to protect me. Just stop."

Mark looked away, knowing that he was being ridiculous. John was right, he had no right to accuse him of any negligence.

He took a deep breath, feeling tired. He'd gone through about 50 emotions in the span of 5 minutes.

He had closed his eyes and when he opened them, he found himself receiving a confused stare from a teary eyed Cory.

He pulled her into another hug, "You get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow."

She nodded, pulling away from him.

He pointed at John, "You look out for her."

John nodded, "Always."

--

_The Next Morning…_

William stood at the entrance to the hotel restaurant, watching as Hunter sat at a table, quietly eating his breakfast. Never in his life had William even considered asking anyone for dating advice. And yet here he was, standing in a restaurant, hoping he didn't look like a stalker while he contemplated his situation. He wasn't _really_ asking for advice though. It was more like scoping out the competition. It seemed obvious to everyone _except_ Hunter that Jessica had a bit of a crush on him but what William couldn't figure out was how Hunter felt for her. So he decided to do a little investigating under the guise of friendly advice. He would ask Hunter to help him out with Jessica and if he resisted, then William had something to worry about. If Hunter was willing to help, then he was home free.

He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, "Here we go."

--

Hunter looked up from his plate when he heard someone approaching the table. He was expecting to see a fan but to his surprise, William stood in front of him, looking a little anxious.

"Hey man," he smiled.

"Hunter," William nodded. "Mind if I sit?"

"Not at all," Hunter shrugged, wondering what this was about. He and William didn't have any problems but they weren't exactly buddies, "What's up?"

"Well..this is gonna sound a little weird but…I need your help," William said. "With Jessica."

"With Jessie?" Hunter raised a brow.

William leaned forward, "I'm interested in her. Very. I haven't done the best job of keeping that a secret."

"Not exactly," Hunter laughed.

"You're her best friend, right?" William asked.

"I guess so, yeah," Hunter nodded.

"Well..I was wondering if maybe you could give me some advice..maybe tell me what I'm doing wrong," William said, looking sheepish.

Hunter didn't have to think too much about it. This was a perfect opportunity for him. He couldn't figure out how to let Jessie down easy but if he could help transfer her attention to someone else, he wouldn't have to.

William shrugged, "I'm really not used to doing this I just..-"

"You don't have to explain yourself," Hunter laughed, holding a hand up. "I can definitely help you out."

--

Viveca stood in the middle of the hallway, arms crossed over her chest, waiting impatiently. What the hell was taking Jeff so long? It was time for everyone to be leaving for the airport and Jeff still hadn't come out of his damn room.

She looked down at her bags and then back up at his door. She had a good plan, she just hadn't considered that Jeff would be running so late. People were walking past her, looking at her like she'd lost her mind and she just smiled and waved. Finally, after a few minutes, Jeff's door opened. Viveca picked up her bags and, as if a director had yelled action, she started struggling down the hall with them.

She walked as quickly as she could until she bumped right into Jeff.

"Oh my Gosh!" she put a hand over her mouth. "Sorry Jeff."

He looked down at her, obviously surprised, "Viveca? What are you doing out here?"

"Trying desperately to get my bags downstairs," she smiled sheepishly.

She could tell he was weighing his options and she hoped upon hope that this plan worked.

After a few seconds, he sighed and walked around her, picking up one of the bags she was dragging. She stifled a smile, turning around, "Jeff, you don't have to do that."

"You gonna get downstairs some other way?" he asked.

She laughed, "I guess you have a point. Thanks."

"Not a problem," he said, picking up all of her bags except her carry on which he draped over her shoulder. "Come on."

She smiled, following him down the hall. The first part of her mission was accomplished.

--

Mark raised his hand again, then put it down, shaking his head. He'd been standing at Cory's door for a few minutes and he just couldn't seem to knock. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, he just knew that it was time to talk. Seeing the police outside her door the night before had rattled him to his core. He'd barely been able to sleep that night. He just kept thinking about someone trying to hurt her. What if this was the same person who took Dawn? What if there had been warning signs and he didn't know about them?

He took a deep breath and knocked. He couldn't stand out in the hall thinking about it all day.

--

Jeff laughed as Viveca finished telling him about one of Lianna and Matt's more recent arguments that ended with Matt dumping fries on Lianna's head. He couldn't understand why those two seemed to detest each other so much. They were a lot alike.

"I need you around to help me play referee sometime," Viveca smiled up at him as they walked toward the hotel's front doors.

Jeff wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't say he didn't miss spending time with Viveca but…he wasn't sure if he was ready to forget what happened.

"Did you rent a car?" he asked, realizing that he wasn't exactly sure where they were going. He knew where _his_ car was but not hers.

"No, I rode with William and Lianna last night," she answered.

Jeff should have known she was setting him up. Viveca never left a hotel carrying her own bags, she always had the front desk send a cart for them. He couldn't help but smile though. Waiting outside his room with her bags was sort of a good idea.

"I take it you'd like a ride to the airport," he looked down at her.

"I would-"

"Actually Jeff," Adam walked over to them, sliding his arm around Viveca's shoulders. "She's gonna ride with me."

"What?" Viveca stared up at him.

Jeff shook his head, this was never going to end. Maybe he'd read her wrong and she really did just need help coming downstairs.

She looked up at him, "Jeff-"

"I'll see you guys at the airport," he said, dropping her bags and walking away.

--

Cory opened her door, surprised to find herself looking into Mark's very tired green eyes. It seemed like every time she saw him lately she felt tears sting her eyes and this time was no exception. She had no idea what to expect and she hadn't realized that she was just standing there, staring at him, until he spoke.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Of course," she nodded, stepping aside to allow him in.

He walked in and she closed the door behind them, following at a safe distance.

He turned to face her, thoughtfully, rubbing his jaw, "We need to talk."

She nodded, trying her best to fight back tears, "Mark..I am so-"

"Wait, I need you to just listen to me for a minute," he put a hand up.

"Okay," she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. She was terrified of what he was going to say. He was nice to her the night before but who was to say that hadn't changed?

"I'm sorry," he looked into her eyes. "I am sorry for the way I've treated you and the things I've said to you."

"You don't have to apo-"

"Just listen," he cut her off. "I have felt like I was in hell since Dawn's been gone. I've felt every emotion you could possibly imagine. And I've taken that out on you. I was angry with you and I wanted to make sure you felt as horrible as me."

She looked down at the ground, blinking rapidly.

"I had no right to do that to you because if there's anybody in this world that knows how I'm feeling, it's you," Mark sighed. "And if there's anybody that I truly _need_ to help me through this…it's you. I don't know if I can forgive myself for making you think that this is your fault. I am sorry Cory."

"I don't deserve an apology," she sniffed. "If I hadn't lied for Dawn, none of this would be happening."

"Cory-"

"I tried Mark, you have to believe me," she said, unable to hold back her emotions any longer. She was desperate for him to understand why she did what she did. "I tried to get her to tell you. I told her you needed to know but…she was so set on waiting. I know I should have told you anyway, I know that now but…I promised her. I promised that I wouldn't say anything until she was ready and I honestly thought…I _knew_ that she would tell you."

Tears were streaming down her face and she had to bite her lips for a second to keep from breaking into sobs.

"I think about what I did every day and I'll never forgive myself," she shook her head. I just…"

She couldn't say anymore. She covered her hand with her mouth and turned away from him. She felt Mark's hands on her shoulders and the tears flowed even more when he turned her around and hugged her tightly.

"You, me, and Dawn, we're family kid," he squeezed her tightly. "We're havin' a rough patch right now but we're gonna get through it. I promise."

"We have to find her Mark," she cried.

"I know," he nodded. "We will."

--

"Can you believe that?" Viveca fumed. "That son of a bitch."

"From Adam?" Jessica smirked, parking the car. "Yes, I can believe it."

She'd stumbled upon Jeff, Viveca, and Adam in what looked like an incredibly awkward situation outside the hotel. Jeff walked away and Viveca ended up asking Jessica for a ride to the airport. The second they got in the car, Viveca started yelling about how much she hated Adam.

"Why is this happening to me?" Viveca asked as they got out of the car. "What did I do? And _don't_ say I kissed Adam because _he_ kissed _me_."

"I know," Jessica said, trying to hide her amusement. She felt for her friend but sometimes Viveca could be so dramatic. She shook her head, "I cant believe you resorted to playing the damsel like that."

"You honestly think I'm above that?" Viveca asked. "Do you know me at all?"

Jessica laughed.

"Look I know it's a little sad but at this point, I'll do anything that has any possibility of working. I need Jeff back."

--

_Later…_

John finished off a bottle of water and tossed it into the garbage can, rolling his shoulders. He was tired as hell and his shoulders were tense. He hadn't gotten any sleep after he and Cory got back to his room. She fell asleep after a few hours but he couldn't relax enough to do the same. He just stayed up, watching her, trying to convince himself that this was just some fans playing a prank. That's what the cops thought it was. John wasn't so sure though and he couldn't help but think about Dawn. Someone had come into her home and taken her and there was nothing anyone could do about it. What if someone tried to do that to Cory?

John's heart stopped when he heard a loud knock on the wall behind him.

He turned to see who'd startled him and tensed even more when he saw Mark. He really wasn't in the mood for another confrontation.

"You got a minute Cena?"

"Depends on why you wanna know," John sighed.

"I wanna apologize to you," Mark surprised John. "Last night I..I had a lot of things going on in my head. I never should have snapped at you for not being there with Cory. You've obviously taken damn good care of her since all this has been going on..I had no right to jump down your throat."

"What made you come in there like that?" John asked, still confused.

"I saw those cops and I thought she was hurt," Mark explained. "I got scared."

"You talk to her today?" John asked.

Mark nodded.

"And?" he waited for further explanation.

"I apologized to her," Mark answered. "We're gonna be okay."

"Good," John nodded. "She needs you."

"I don't know about that," Mark laughed. "_You're_ the one she needs. You've held her together."

"And I always will," John said. "And as long as you two are cool, we're cool…but if you go back to treating her like shit..we're gonna have a problem."

"Are you trying to threaten me?" Mark smirked.

"Maybe," John shrugged.

Mark patted him on the shoulder, "Cena..I've taught ya well."

--

"I am not wearing a wire," Lianna stared at Matt as if he was losing brain cells right before her eyes.

They'd been trying for what felt like ages to come up with a plan to trap Adam in his lie and this was Matt's suggestion.

Matt rolled his eyes, "Come on, why not?"

"Where the hell are we gonna get one?" she asked.

"Lianna, they sell them in stories nowadays," Matt said. "Little cameras and microphones and everything. It wouldn't be hard."

It was her turn to roll her eyes, "We need to get Adam to admit he lied within earshot of Jeff."

"That or we get him to admit it, record it, and play it for Jeff," Matt smirked. "Come on, we want this to work, right? What would work better than indisputable evidence that we can play over and over just to make a point."

"What are you gonna do? Put a tape recorder in your pants?" she asked, irritated.

"No, but I think I know where we can put one," he said, staring down her low cut shirt.

"Hardy," she pointed. "You better just be looking there for fun."

--

Paula looked down at the notebook shaking her head. She had quite a bit of information to give Chris, so much that she'd had to grab a notebook while her father was talking and write everything down. She had no idea that her father knew so much about Frank's messed up life. Unfortunately, she couldn't call Chris just yet. It was time for her to be at the diner. She looked at herself in the mirror, running her hands through her hair. Her makeup was done, but she didn't have time to get dressed. She picked up her uniform and her black leather jacket, deciding to just get changed at work. As she stepped into her shoes, she picked up her keys and rushed out the door.

"Jesus Christ, does it ever stop fucking raining around here?" she said aloud as she ran down the steps and toward the driveway. She reached her car and readied to unlock it when she noticed she'd grabbed her father's keys instead of her own.

"Shit!" she whispered harshly. She looked at her watch, knowing if she was late she'd be in deep shit.

"Fuck it," she shrugged, walking over to her father's car. "He wont care."

--

Carter watched as the little bitch got into the other car.

"God damn it," he whispered to himself. She was supposed to get into _her_ car. Now he was going to have to change his plan.

He watched as she checked her makeup in the mirror, coating her full lips with pink gloss. She was pretty. Very pretty. Too bad she had such a big mouth. Someone needed to teach her to keep it shut. And someone needed to teach Taylor's boyfriend to stop asking so many questions.

--

Dawn watched as Savannah paced back and forth, raking her hands through her hair. Beads of sweat were glistening on her forehead and she'd bitten her bottom lip so much that it was swollen. Something obviously had her scared and Dawn wanted to find out what.

"Did you see Glenn today?" she asked.

"Yes," Savannah snipped. "Don't worry, no one's forgotten you yet."

"That's not why I was asking," Dawn said. "I'm just keeping track of how many times he sees you and believes your bullshit so I can slap him for each one when I get out of here."

"Shut up," Savannah pointed. She stopped walking when the news came back from commercial.

"Police still have no suspects in the homicide of college student Michael Farrisse. Investigators discovered hairs in the young man's apartment very close to the body that were clearly not his but until a suspect is found, the hairs aren't much help."

Dawn turned to Savannah, who had stopped pacing and now had a wide eyed stare focused on the TV. Her skin was beginning to look pale.

"Don't you look at me," Savannah pointed. "Don't you judge me."

"Oh no, you've only kidnapped me, threatened my life, and told me you plan on stealing my baby, why should I judge you?"

"Shut up!" Savannah pointed. "They cant find out. They cant find out about Michael."

Dawn frowned, realization coming over her. The young man on the news, Savannah had something to do with it.

"Who was he?"

"What?" Savannah asked.

"Michael Farrisse," Dawn said. "You killed him, didn't you?"

Savannah nodded slowly.

"Who was he?"

Savannah looked her right in the eyes and Dawn felt her heart skip when she heard the answer.

"My little brother."

--

"You know, you can have the bed," Cory said, chewing on her toothbrush.

"You take the bed," John said, leaning against the doorjamb. "Just get out of the bathroom."

She'd been 'getting ready' for bed for at least 15 minutes and he was tired. That was the bad thing about rooming with her. She had to prep just to get to sleep.

"Fine, fine," she put her toothbrush on the counter. "The bathroom is all yours."

She gave him a loud kiss on the cheek and he laughed, gently pushing her out of the bathroom.

"Oh wait, I just forgot one thing," she walked back in.

"You're done," he wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her feet off the ground. "You're going to sleep, not getting ready for a show."

"I need to put my hair up," she laughed, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"No you don't," he walked her out of the bathroom and set her down on her feet. Once he was sure she would leave him alone, he walked into the bathroom, turning on the water in the sink, watching out of the corner of his eye as she crawled onto the bed. She wore a white tank top and a pair of dark blue shorts. John didn't know how much longer he could handle this. He was supposed to be supportive, he was supposed to be her friend. Mark was right, she needed him to be her shoulder to cry on but when he saw her long, tanned legs stretched out on his bed, he was thinking about a different kind of contact. John washed his face quickly and then pulled his t-shirt off, tossing it onto the floor. When he walked back into the room he noticed Cory was looking down at her hands, completely ignoring the TV.

"What's up?"

She didn't answer and he walked over, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him, confused, "What?"

"You seemed like you were off in your own world," he sat beside her. "You okay?"

She nodded, turning her body towards him, "I'm okay I just..these past few days have been extra crazy, you know?"

John nodded, "I'm sorry."

The corner of her mouth twitched upward and she shook her head, "Why would you be sorry? You're the only thing that's kept me sane."

She took his hand in hers and John found himself effected in a lot of different ways. His body was effected by her touch, his heart was effected by what she said. Sometimes it still amazed him how far they'd come.

--

Cory looked into John's blue eyes and felt something tug at her heart. What she said was true, he was what had held her together. She used to think he was so immature and selfish but she couldn't have been more wrong about him.

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

"You don't have to thank-"

Cory leaned forward, taking John's lips with hers. She wasn't exactly sure what made her do it. It was probably a combination of the revelation that he really was a great guy and how incredibly good he looked with his shirt off. She could tell he was caught off guard because he didn't move for a second but soon she felt him relax. His hand tangled in her hair and she parted her lips, a moan escaping her as his tongue stroked hers. She crawled onto his lap, smiling when she got a very intimate feel for how much he wanted her. He laid back on the bed, pulling her on top of him and trailed her kisses down his neck, delighting in the way his breath seemed to catch in his throat when she lightly bit the side of his neck. He rolled them over and she smiled up at him, reaching up to pull him back down to her. He didn't move though. He had this sad, frustrated look on his face. She leaned up but he backed away, "Cory stop."

"_What_?" she stared, out of breath as he got off the bed.

He looked around the room nervously, "I uh…I gotta go."

"You have to what?" she stared, completely confused. "John-"

"I'll be back later I just…I cant do this right now."

He quickly grabbed a t-shirt and his room key and walked out like the room was on fire.

Cory collapsed back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling, "What the hell just happened?"

--

Owen looked back and forth between the papers. He'd been staring at them for so long, the words were starting to blur together but he knew there was something there. There had to be.

The exact same synthetic hair at both crime scenes _and _the same brown natural hair. Stephen wanted him to let it go but he couldn't. There was a connection between Dawn Marie's disappearance and the death of Michael Farisse, he was sure of it. It didn't make sense though. The same hair found on the dead body of a loner college student and in the house of a woman millions of people watched on TV.

He looked at the microscope image of the hair, frowning, "What am I missing?"

--


	7. Chapter 7

**Here ya go peeps, the next chapter. Don't have much time to babble, I've been working on this all day. Let me know what you think. As always, Read, Enjoy, & REVIEW!!**

**Chapter 7.…**

Owen sat on the couch in Mrs. Frieda Greenburg's apartment, drinking a cup of coffee, praying he didn't get fired for what he was doing. His involvement in law enforcement was supposed to be strictly confined to the lab but there he was, sitting in the apartment down the hall from Michael Farisse's place, talking to his elderly neighbor. Fortunately, Mrs. Greenburg seemed to enjoy the company so much, she didn't seem to care that he was asking questions about a murder.

"So you've lived here for two years…and never saw your Michael?" Owen asked.

"No," Mrs. Greenburg shook her head. "When Mr. Lawrence, he's the landlord, told me someone had moved in I thought he was crazy. For those first few months I never even saw anybody go in or out of that place…When I heard about that poor boy, well it just broke my heart. They say he shot himself in the head but I was here that day and I didn't hear a thing."

Owen didn't bother explaining to her that there was a silencer on the gun. Something else she said had caught his attention.

"You said that for the first few months, you never saw anybody," Owen said. "But you said you never saw Michael..so after those first months..who _did_ you see?"

"I've only seen one person going into that apartment, a young woman. And I haven't even seen her that many times," Mrs. Greenburg said. "I just remember her because she smiled at me and she was just _so_ pretty."

"This is going to seem like an odd question but..what color was her hair?" Owen asked.

"Brown," Mrs. Greenburg answered. "Definitely brown."

--

"Come on Patrick, just do this for me," William said. "All you have to do is tell Jessica that you have a deadline for tomorrow morning and you need her approval on some photos."

"And why am I doing this?" Patrick asked.

"To keep Jessica from going out tonight," William said. "Invite her to the hotel conference room to look at the proofs, keep her there for 20 minutes, and then let her go. I'll happen by and get her to go to dinner with me..It's perfect."

"And what do I get out of this?"

"My eternal friendship," William laughed.

"And?"

"Isn't that enough?"

--

"I cant believe I threw myself at John," Cory shook her head as she ran on the treadmill.

Jessica felt for her sister. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the way John walked out on her. With Cory's current emotional state, putting herself out there was a big deal.

"I don't know if 'throwing yourself' at him is an accurate description," Jessica said, picking up free weights. "It's a bit harsh."

"Jessie, when you make a move and get shot down..that's how it feels," Cory frowned.

Jessica sighed, Cory had never taken rejection well. She didn't have to deal with it very often.

Jessica sighed, "Have you talked at all?"

Cory shook her head again, "When I woke up that morning he was gone. I left. Now he's in Boston with some friends working on music or something. No phone call, no nothing."

Jessica rolled her eyes. Leave it to John to make it hard for her to defend him. He was her friend, a very good friend, but he could really make matters difficult when he wanted to.

"I obviously read him wrong," Cory said, pressing the button to slow her speed. "He doesn't see me that way anymore."

"Cory-"

"Hell, I've been such a mess lately, I cant blame him."

"Will you stop?" Jessica asked, frustrated. "Cory, you don't know why he walked out."

"I don't know because he didn't bother to explain it to me," Cory said, getting off the treadmill. "I just..I was starting to think that maybe we finally had a shot at getting this right, you know? I really wanted to try. And now I feel like a complete moron."

"You're not a moron," Jessica insisted.

"Yeah well, I'm not convinced of that."

Jessica took a deep breath, trying to think of something to say. Her sister's heart and her ego had obviously taken a pretty big blow. Making her feel better wasn't going to be easy.

--

"Watch it!" Lianna squeaked, slapping Matt's hands away from her chest.

"I'm just hooking the microphone to your bra, calm down," he said, reaching into her shirt again.

His hands were cold and when his fingers touched her skin again she squealed, pushing his hands away, "Your hands are freezing."

"Maybe it's just your icy tits," he said reaching in once again. She almost jumped away but Matt grabbed her by the front of her bra, pulling her roughly. She stared down at his hands and then at his face, "Did you just manhandle me?"

He rolled his eyes, clipping the microphone to her, "There. Done."

"Hope you enjoyed that," she said, adjusting her bra.

"Much less than you'd think," he smirked. "You called Adam and asked him to lunch, right?"

"No, I forgot," she gave him her best vacant expression. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"You really want me to answer that?" he asked.

Lianna got up, standing in front of the mirror. She was wearing a blue dress that was cut low but had enough fabric to keep the microphone covered, "Do you think I can get him to talk in this?"

"I guess," he shrugged, not looking at her.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, don't admit I'm attractive. Live a life of denial."

"I will, thanks," he smiled.

"Can you see the mic?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

He looked her up and down and then shook his head, "No."

"Perfect," she smiled, picking up her purse. "Wish me luck."

--

"Wait a minute, wait a minute…you're saying you were on the bed, shirt off, ready to get down to business..and you _left_?" Eric, one of John's oldest friends, stared at him.

John sighed, nodding. Something told him not to tell Eric what happened but he was hoping his friend would have something constructive to say.

"Are you gay now?" Eric asked.

"Dude-"

"If you're gay, that's cool," Eric put his hands up. "I still love ya man."

"I'm not gay dumbass," John smacked him upside the head.

"Well then I," Eric returned the smack. "am not the dumbass here. How could you turn down a hot girl throwing herself at you?"

"She wasn't throwing herself at me," John insisted. "Look, I like Cory a lot. I care about her. If something's gonna happen between us, I want it to be because she wants me..not because she's trying to thank me."

"Thank you sex is the best kind," Eric laughed. "The girl's willing to do anything you want."

"There's something wrong with you," John pointed, trying not to laugh.

"No, there's something wrong with you," Eric said.

"For caring about her feelings?" John smirked.

Eric nodded, "Yes."

"Look, I think that I could have something special with her…I just don't know if it's time yet and I'm willing to wait until the time is right…and if you call me gay for saying that, I will beat your ass."

"I'm not gonna call you gay," Eric said. "But you did sound like a girl."

--

Mark looked up when he heard his phone beeping. He picked it up, frowning when he saw that he had a text message. He was never big on those things. He figured if someone needed to talk to him, they could call. It was from Glenn though, so he opened it.

_SHE SAID YES!_

Mark's mouth dropped open. He knew Glenn was planning to ask Jacinda to marry him but he had been hoping that he changed his mind. Mark sat down, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of him. He couldn't explain why he felt so strongly. He didn't know why but he truly felt that marrying Jacinda would be the biggest mistake of Glenn's life.

--

"So he just walked out?" Hunter stared. Cory had called him that morning and invited him to lunch. He wasn't thrilled when the first thing she wanted to talk about was John but now..he couldn't say he was unhappy to hear that things weren't as perfect with them as they seemed. "Wow…I'm sorry Cory."

"Yeah, me too," she frowned, pushing a piece of chicken around on her plate. She was having trouble meeting his eyes and Hunter reached across the table, taking her hand in his.

"I'm sorry I'm boring you with this," she smiled sheepishly.

"Don't be, it's okay," he shrugged. "You needed to talk. And now, I think what you need, is a night on the town to cheer you up."

"A night on the town?" she smirked. "Who says that?"

"Don't make fun of the person trying to cheer you up, whiny," he laughed, pointing at her.

"Okay, okay, you're right," she smiled. "A night out could be fun. I'll call Jessie and we can all go."

He held back a flinch at her hopeful smile. Of course, she wanted Jessica to come. Fortunately, he could agree without any guilt. He knew William had something in mind to keep Jessica occupied. She would have fun with him and Hunter could get some time alone with Cory.

"Sure, me, you, and Jessie," he smiled.

"Perfect," Cory smiled excitedly. "I'll call her now."

--

"So…you haven't been this nice to me since…ever," Adam looked across the table at Lianna. He'd been completely surprised when she invited him to lunch with her and even more shocked when she proved to be relatively pleasant company. She'd thrown out a few snide comments here and there but he was pretty sure that was how she was with everyone.

"I guess I should probably apologize for the way I've treated you," she put down her fork, smiling at him. "But first..tell the truth Adam, did you really sleep with my sister?"

Adam rolled his eyes, sick to death of hearing that same question, "What would make you think I didn't?"

"She told me you didn't," she shrugged. "And my sister's word is enough for me, but if you say you did…"

"I did," he nodded. "Why? You wanna see what it's like?"

"No," she smiled, shaking her head. "Not at all. Actually, I just wanted to say congratulations."

"Congratulations?" he frowned. "On what?"

She giggled, looking into his eyes, "The baby, _duh_."

--

"What baby?" Adam's eyes went as wide as they could and Lianna had to draw on all of her will power to keep from cracking a smile.

"V's pregnant," Lianna said. She feigned a shocked expression and then winced, "Shit..she didn't tell you yet."

"What the hell do you mean she's pregnant?" he stared.

"Adam, honey, when a man puts his-"

"I know what sex is Lianna, how did Viveca get pregnant?" Adam asked, looking like he was on the brink of a heart attack.

"Umm…sex?" Lianna laughed.

He ran a hand over his hair, looking around the restaurant.

"You know Adam, you're really gonna have to step up to the plate here," Lianna looked down at her food to keep her composure. "Viveca certainly cant raise this baby on her own."

"I am not helping her raise a baby," Adam stood up, pointing at her.

"You should really sit down, you're gonna make a scene," she whispered.

"I don't give a damn, that is not my baby!" Adam exclaimed. "It's impossible."

"Excuse me?" Lianna stood up. "All this time you've been swearing up and down to anyone who will listen that you slept with my sister and now you don't wanna be a man and help raise the baby you made?"

"I didn't help make it!" Adam yelled.

"You just said you had sex," she reminded him.

"I _lied_!" Adam insisted. "We've never had sex, I just said it to make sure Jeff didn't take her back."

"Oh sure," Lianna was unable to resist making him suffer further. "You can lay down and make a baby but you cant take responsibility for it. That's just pathetic."

"It's not mine!" Adam said through clenched teeth.

"Attention everyone," Lianna called, tapping her butter knife against her glass. "This man is Adam Copeland and he is a_ dead beat dad_."

"Will you shut up?" Adam took the butter knife away from her.

"I felt the women around you should be warned," she shrugged, smiling.

An older couple walked past them and the woman gave Adam a disgusted look.

"See," Lianna smirked. "She appreciates the warning."

"You're insane," Adam shook his head. "I'm not listening to this anymore."

"Fine," she shrugged, sitting back down. "We'll be in touch with dates for doctor's appointments."

Adam shook his head at her before storming out of the restaurant.

Lianna nearly collapsed in laughter the second he was out of sight. When she was calm enough to talk, she looked down at her chest, "Hey Matt…Mission Accomplished."

--

Dawn's eyes snapped open when she heard the front door slam. Savannah was back. She'd left the night before to see Glenn and Dawn was afraid she wouldn't be coming back. Not that she particularly enjoyed Savannah's company but she was starving, she had to pee, and she hadn't taken her vitamins. How Savannah had managed to get her hands on prenatal vitamins was beyond Dawn but she needed them.

"Hello sunshine," Savannah breezed into the room, her pregnancy pad in hand. She tossed the prosthetic bust and belly aside. "That thing gets so sweaty."

"I have to pee," Dawn said, uninterested in Savannah's small talk.

"First things first," Savannah beamed. "I have something to show you."

"Savannah I have to-"

Savannah excitedly held up her left hand and Dawn felt her breath catch in her throat when she saw the engagement ring.

"He proposed last night," Savannah smiled. "It was so sweet."

Dawn shook her head in disgust. She'd known Glenn for a long time, he was truly a great person. He was one of the nicest people she'd ever met and she'd always hoped that he would find a woman good enough for him. He deserved something truly special. And this crazy bitch had somehow duped him into falling for her.

"You are sick," Dawn said, unable to hold her tongue.

Savannah's smile faltered, "Excuse me?"

"You're _sick_ Savannah," Dawn said. "You don't love Glenn. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

"That's not true," Savannah pointed. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"You killed your own brother," Dawn reminded her.

"I did what I had to!" Savannah yelled.

"And kidnapping me, you had to do that too?" Dawn asked. "And tricking Glenn into marrying you, you have to do that?"

"Shut up," Savannah pointed, her voice shaking.

"You're gonna break his heart, kill me, and ruin this baby's life..all so you can get back at Mark for dumping you," Dawn shook her head. "Sounds to me like he's the only person who matters to you."

"You wouldn't understand," Savannah shook her head, opening a drawer and pulling out Dawn's vitamins.

"I hope I never do," Dawn shook her head. "Because the minute I start to understand you, I'm just as bad as you are."

Savannah turned to face her, tears filling her eyes. She wiped them away and pasted on a big smile, "I'm gonna be gone for a few days…Glenn wants to celebrate..don't worry though, someone else will be here in my place."

--

"We did it!" Lianna exclaimed, as Matt opened the door and allowed her into the room.

"I know!" Matt smiled, giving her a high five. She started jumping up and down and Matt wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, spinning her around.

"I cant believe it worked!" she grinned.

"The pregnancy thing was genius," Matt smiled. "That was a great idea."

"Well I wouldn't have been able to do this without you and your little gadgets," she smiled at him as he put her down.

"Now all we have to do is get them together and play the tape for them," he said.

"I'm so excited!" she squeaked, hugging him again. He squeezed her tightly and found himself strangely effected by the feel of her body against his. He tried to ignore it, chalking it up to some sort of strange adrenaline rush. They hug lingered and after a few seconds, they pulled apart slightly. Her big green eyes looked up at him and before he knew what he was doing, Matt's lips were attached to Lianna's. They kissed for about 5 seconds, then they both froze, opening their eyes. She squeaked and he quickly pulled away.

"Dear God!" Lianna scraped at her tongue with her finger.

"I think I'm gonna throw up," Matt coughed, leaning over.

"That did _not_ happen," Lianna pointed. "If I _ever_ find out that you told anyone, I will cut out your tongue."

"After kissing you, I might do that myself."

"Oh go to hell," she glared.

"You first," he said. "I'm sure you know the way better than I do."

"You know what…" she pointed. "You're an asshole."

"So are you," he shrugged.

She rolled her eyes, pulling the camera off of her bra, "Let's just focus on the task at hand and try to forget we ever…you know."

"I'm already trying."

--

"How does this look?" Jessica smoothed her hands over her skirt.

"It looks as awesome as the last 4 outfits you tried on," Cory smirked, laying across the foot of the bed. "If you're gonna make me watch your fashion show, at least try on something bad and make me laugh, 'cause this is gettin' _mighty_ boring."

"Thank you Cory, you're so sweet and supportive," Jessica patted the top of her head.

"Listen, I'm gonna leave early to give you and Hunter some alone time," Cory said. "Which means that I will come back to this hotel and wallow for the rest of the night. I get to give you _all_ the shit I want."

"You know, you really don't have to do that," Jessica said, sitting next to her.

"Actually big sis, I do," Cory said. "It'll be the perfect opportunity for you and Hunter to have a little semi-intoxicated alone time."

"You're the best," Jessica mussed her hair.

"Glad someone thinks so," Cory said. "Think you could talk to John for me?"

"Stop," Jessica sighed. "You guys are gonna work it out."

Cory rolled over on her back, looking up at the ceiling, "Sure we will."

Jessica's phone started ringing and she quickly picked up, "Hello?"

Cory watched as a confused expression crossed Jessica's face, "We have to do this tonight?…okay, okay I'll be there. This better not take long."

--

"What the hell is this about?" Jeff asked as Lianna dragged him down the hall. She'd come to his room and when he answered the door, she pretty much yanked him into the hall and started walking without saying a word.

"Don't ask questions," she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Where are we goin'?" he asked, nearly tripping. For a small girl, she was pretty damn strong and she was walking like there was a raging fire behind them.

"To clear up a few things," she said as they rounded a corner. He stopped walking when he spotted Matt standing in the hallway with Viveca, who looked as confused as he felt.

He shook his head. Whatever Matt and Lianna were up to, he wanted no part of it. He tried to turn around, "I'm leaving."

"The hell you are," Matt walked over, grabbing his arm.

"What are you doing?" Jeff glared at his brother.

"We're all gonna go in Viveca's room and have a nice family chat," Lianna smiled, looping her arm through her sister's.

"Li, what's going on?" Viveca asked.

"You'll see," Lianna smiled, leading the way into the room. "You'll see."

--

"I think I'm drunk now," Cory said, finishing her long island iced tea, keeping the straw clenched between her teeth.

"After 6 of those and all those shots, you should be," he laughed before downing the rest of his beer.

He couldn't say he'd ever seen Cory this drunk.

"Where the hell is Jessie?" Cory asked. "I _miss_ her."

"We both do," Hunter said. When he met her in the lobby, he'd had to act surprised when she explained that Jessica would be meeting them at the club.

"You know who else I miss," she looked up at him. "I miss John."

"That is probably the 10th time you've mentioned that guy since we got here," Hunter rolled his eyes.

"Hey, _that guy_ happens to be important to me," Cory said. She turned, telling the bartender to bring them two more drinks.

"Has he even called you?" Hunter asked when she turned back to him.

She looked away, "Not yet."

"That's it," he took her hand, grabbing his beer with his other hand. "Get your drink, we're gonna get on the dance floor and I will make a complete fool of myself if it'll get you to quit moping."

She laughed, picking up her drink, "Okay…let's go."

--

Jessica dialed Cory's number again, rolling her eyes when it went straight to voicemail. She'd called Cory and Hunter five times each to find out what club they decided to go to and neither of them was answering the phone. Deciding on the pictures had taken a lot longer than she expected and she needed a drink.

"Jessica?"

She turned, surprised to see William walking buy, in a suit as usual.

"Are you ever _not_ dressed like a lawyer?" she smirked as he approached her.

"Every once in a while," he smiled. "What are you doing by yourself all dressed up?"

"I was supposed to go out but Cory and Hunter have gone MIA," she shrugged. "I'm probably just gonna go back to my room."

"You cant do that," he shook his head. "Look at you."

She shrugged, "I don't have anywhere to go."

"You do now," he offered his arm. "Come on, I haven't eaten yet, I'll take you to dinner."

Her first instinct was to say no but truthfully, she was hungry and she didn't want to sit around, bored all night.

"Promise you wont hit on me?" she smirked.

"I cant promise that but I will try to keep it to a minimum," he offered.

"Deal," she looped her arm through his. "Let's go."

--

"I _lied_! We've never had sex, I just said it to make sure Jeff didn't take her back."

"Shall we play it for you again?" Lianna asked, looking back and forth between Jeff and Viveca.

Matt didn't need a response. He rewound the tape and played Adam's admission again.

"I _lied_! We've never had sex, I just said it to make sure Jeff didn't take her back."

Jeff couldn't believe what he was hearing. He felt like the dumbest person alive.

"Everybody got that?" Lianna looked around.

"Want it one more time?" Matt asked.

"I got it Matt," Jeff held a hand up. "Thank you."

"Not a problem," Matt smiled.

Jeff looked over at Viveca who was standing near the window, staring outside. He got the feeling she wanted to look at him but she was afraid to. He stood up, looking over at Matt and Lianna.

"I cant believe you guys did this," he shook his head. "Thank you."

"We're here to help," Lianna smiled.

He looked over at Viveca and then back at them, "Could you guys give us a few minutes alone?"

"Are you gonna be nice?" Lianna raised a brow.

"Yes Li, I promise," Jeff nodded.

"Alright then," she turned around. "Come on Mudrat."

"The tape's all cued up in case anybody wants to hear it again," Matt smiled before leading Lianna out of the room.

Once their siblings were gone, Jeff turned to Viveca, trying to think of something smart to say. Something that could somehow make up for the way he'd treated her all this time. Unfortunately, he was never all that great at things like this.

"I'm sorry," he said, walking toward her.

She kept her arms crossed over her chest, looking up at him, "Why didn't you just talk to me when Adam told you we'd slept together? "

"I don't know," he shook his head. "I just..V I was mad. I saw you kissing him, okay? It didn't seem like that far of a stretch."

"It was one kiss, one stupid, stupid kiss," Viveca said. "He caught me off guard, I had no idea that was going to happen."

"If you walked in on me with my lips on someone else's, would you be able to just take that explanation and pretend it never happened?" he asked.

She looked away again and he took a deep breath, not sure what to do.

"Jeff…this is the first relationship I've had where I can honestly say I've never even thought about cheating. I love you. I didn't understand it at first but I _love_ you. You're the only man I want and it's been that way for a long time."

"I love you too," he said, pulling her against him. He didn't have it in him to fight it anymore. He loved her and he could find a way to get past one kiss. He felt more for her than he ever had for anyone other woman and now that he knew the truth, he felt like an idiot for letting her go over a misunderstanding.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"You think we can get past this?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"We better be able to," she said softly. "I'm not giving the ring back."

--

"You sure you're ready to hear all this?" Paula asked, looking down at her notebook.

"Absolutely," Chris said.

"Okay," Paula leaned back on her couch, phone pressed against her ear. "So..Adelle Spencer was a cheerleader in high school and she met Frank at a game. She was 16, he was 20. He was there to watch his brother play."

"Okay," Chris waited.

"My dad says Frank was taken with her right away but she turned him down because..well because he wasn't exactly in her social standing."

"She turned him down because he was poor," Chris stated.

"And because he'd been in jail," Paula explained. "And then he got sent back for a few months. He didn't see her again until football season the next year. He asked her out again and for whatever reason, she said yes. Dad says Frank treated her like she walked on water and she loved the attention. Eventually though, she started to get bored. Everybody but Frank seemed to see it. It was common knowledge that she had every intention of getting out of high school and marrying someone just as rich as she was and making perfect little rich babies. She made sure to date boys at her school so that her parents wouldn't know she was seeing Frank. He hated it but he kept his anger to himself because he didn't wanna lose her. Then, Frank heard about her having sex with her date to her senior prom. He flipped out, almost hit her. She ended it and ordered him to stay away from her. Frank begged her to take him back and Dad says he was afraid of what Frank would do. He was obsessed. He was basically a stalker and Adelle was scared so she told her parents. They had restraining order issued to keep him away. Her stepfather had security heightened at their estate. Then, during the summer before she started college, Frank got caught trying to climb the gate that surrounded the family's property. Of course, he was arrested for violating the order and Adelle testified in a hearing, begging the judge to keep him away from her. Dad says with the type of person she was, she was probably faking just to get him put away. The order was changed, widening the distance and making the punishment a lot worse if he violated the order. She went to University of Michigan, ended up getting pregnant by a football player and having Regina. Things ended with him and then she met Ethan Samms at a screening of a documentary her mother was involved in and his company produced. He was married with two kids and from what my father heard, very faithful to his wife. He and Adelle did become friends though. When her summer break was over, she went back to school, Regina was with her mother, and when she got back she found Frank at her door. Dad says he was determined, he kept telling everyone they were gonna be together and she would change her mind. And he was right, they started back up again. Then, she ended up pregnant. Frank was over the moon, thinking he had something to tie him to Addie forever. He told my dad that this was finally gonna convince her to marry him. Unfortunately for him, Ethan Samms was divorcing his wife after she cheated on him and Addie had the perfect out. Next thing you know, Ethan was proposing to Adelle in front of her parents and they were married in less than a month. She started showing pretty late so it was easy to make it look like the baby was Ethan's. My dad says Frank was freaking out, he was scaring everyone around him. When Cory was born, Ethan and Adelle told everyone she was premature. Dad tried to tell him not to but Frank showed up at the Samms Estate when they brought the baby home. Little did he know, Adelle had been keeping the restraining order up to date, even when they were sleeping together again. She figured he would come, had cops waiting for him. Then, at his court hearing she showed up with her husband, his two kids, two nannies, all dressed to the nines and she had Cory in a carrier, covered with a blanket to make sure Frank didn't even get a look at her. Frank tried to tell them that Cory was his and they'd been together but she made a big show, crying about how diluted Frank was and how it saddened her to someone she used to care about in such a bad state. She said there was no way anyone other than Ethan could be the father of her child and that for her sake, the sake of her children, and even for Frank's own good, he should be placed in an institution where he could be monitored by medical professionals. Frank flipped out in the courtroom and started screaming at her. That was all the judge needed to see. He sent Frank to the crazy house to be evaluated, issued a restraining order to protect Adelle's entire family, especially the baby and deemed that if Frank violated it, he would be sent to jail for at least 18 months. Frank told my dad that Adelle winked at him when he was being taken from the room. Before Frank was released from the institution, Ethan moved the family to New York."

--

"You know, I'm surprised," Jessica said as William walked her back to her room.

"Surprised by what?" he asked.

"By how much fun I had tonight," she smiled. "You're not a bad guy Will."

He winced, "God I hate being called Will."

She smirked, "Well…you're gonna have to live with it. William just sounds too uptight to me."

"So you're saying we're gonna be talking more?" he smirked.

"Talking, yes," she nodded. "Dating, no. So don't get your hopes up."

"Because of Hunter?" he asked.

She shrugged, "The reasons aren't important. But..I think you and I are gonna be friends after all."

"I hope so," he smiled.

She opened her door, stepping inside. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled, "Goodnight Will."

--

"I don't think I can walk anymore," Cory said as she and Hunter stumbled to his room.

"It's not that much further," Hunter laughed, holding her up, though he could barely walk himself. After a few minutes, they somehow managed to make it into his room. Hunter collapsed on the couch, laughing at nothing in particular and Cory stood on unsteady legs behind the couch, looking down at him.

"I wanna thank you," she slurred, smiling down at him.

"Thank you for what?" he sat up.

"For cheering me up," she smiled. "You're the best friend, like, ever."

"I know," he nodded. "You don't need to spend so much time thinking about John…You're _beautiful_. You could have a _thousand_ other guys."

"You think I'm beautiful?" she smiled, leaning over the couch.

He nodded, looking up into her blue eyes. It was probably the booze giving him courage but that didn't really matter. He reached up, pulling Cory down to him, pressing his lips against hers. To his surprise, she kissed him back. He stood up, their lips still attached and picked her up, lifting her over the couch, wrapping her legs around his. His foot caught a cord and the lamp fell, bathing the room in darkness as they stumbled toward the bed.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" he pulled away.

Her hands found the back of his neck and she pulled his lips back to hers. That was all the answer he needed.

--


	8. Chapter 8

**Here we are peeps, chapter 8. After this chapter, there will be a bit of a time skip...wanna see what happens? Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**_Chapter 8..._**

Paula wrapped a towel around herself and picked up her brush, running it through her hair. She walked quickly into her room, nearly yanking out a knot in her long hair as she looked around for her jeans. She was supposed to be at work at 10 and her clock read 9:47. She'd fallen asleep on the couch the night before so her alarm didn't wake her up and neither did her father before he left for his own job. She wasn't going to get fired or anything, they needed her there, but she needed all the money she could get and showing up late didn't help her paychecks. She finally found her jeans right where she'd put them, across the foot of her bed. She was walking over to her underwear drawer when she noticed something out of place. Her favorite stuffed animal, JoJo, was sitting on her bed, propped up against a pillow. She never put him on the bed. The last time she did, one of her nephews was at the house and threw him out the window. After that, she left him on the top shelf of her closet. She picked up the small green bear, frowning. Something didn't seem right. A shriek escaped her when she realized what it was and she let the bear fall to the bed. His wide, smiling mouth had been sewn shut.

--

The pounding in Cory's head was so loud, she could swear it was the sound of her brain trying to get out. Her eyes were fluttering but she didn't dare open them, the light through her eyelids was nearly enough to blind her. Her mouth still tasted like alcohol and she desperately needed some water but she didn't want to move. The pounding persisted and she clenched a hand in her hair, groaning, willing it to stop.

"Hunter! You alive in there?"

Cory frowned, that was definitely Mark's voice. Why the hell was he calling Hunter? Was he lost? As Cory tried to figure out what was wrong with her friend, her ear was invaded by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Cory quickly rolled over, nearly falling out of the bed. She sat up, squinting against the sunlight that flooded the room.

_Please God tell me I'm alone_, she silently prayed. She held her breath and then reached over, pressing down on the bed next to her. Unfortunately, her prayers weren't answered. She wasn't pressing on the bed. She was pressing on muscle. She turned to see who was next to her, just hoping it wasn't a stranger. When she saw who it was, she wondered if a stranger would have been better. Hunter was laying beside her, mouth hanging open, his forearm over his eyes.

"What did I do?" she said out loud. She looked down at herself and her worst fears were confirmed. Her clothes were gone. She scrambled to pull the sheet up, covering herself as much as possible. Mark knocked again and, this time, Hunter stirred. He sat up slowly, squinting against the light and after a few seconds he looked over at her, "Hey."

"Hey?" she stared. "You don't have anything else to say?"

Hunter was about to respond but Mark's heavy hand hit the door again and he frowned.

"I'll hide," Cory suggested, pushing him out of the bed, "You take care of Mark."

He got up and Cory winced again, seeing that he was, indeed, completely naked. She could feel her cheeks turning red as he looked around for something on the floor. He quickly pulled on his boxers and walked toward the door while Cory ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

She sat on the floor, half listening as Hunter explained to Mark that he was hung over. Apparently they'd made plans to work out that morning.

The last thing Cory could remember was driving to the club. She had a few hazy memories of dancing with Hunter but that was about it. She couldn't believe she'd done something so stupid. She didn't think of Hunter that way, she never really had. He was attractive, sure, but he was one of her best friends. _Strictly_ a friend.

She jumped when she heard a light knock on the door, "Coast's clear."

She got up, pulling the sheet tighter around her as she walked out of tbe bathroom, "We need to talk."

--

Adam knocked on Viveca's door, holding his breath as he waited for her to open it. His mind had been racing since Lianna informed him of Viveca's pregnancy. He had to get her to tell everyone that it wasn't his. He never thought his lie would come back to haunt him like this. He raised his hand to knock again but before he could make contact with the door, it opened. To his surprise, he was met with a shirtless Jeff Hardy.

"Mornin' Adam," Jeff smiled, leaning against the doorjamb. "How can I help you?"

"Jeff," Adam stared. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Getting ready for breakfast," Jeff shrugged. "I think the better question is what are _you_ doing here?"

"Well..I came by to congratulate you on the baby," Adam flashed a smile.

"You sure I shouldn't be congratulating you?" Jeff raised a brow.

Adam's mouth dropped open and Jeff held his straight face for a few seconds before he burst into laughter, "There is no baby, dumbass."

"What?" Adam stared, confused.

"Good morning Adam," Viveca walked up, wrapped in a bed sheet. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"There's no baby?" Adam ignored her question.

"Nope," Viveca shook her head. "Lianna tricked you Adam. She and Matt had a plan to get you to admit you lied about us."

She put her arm around Jeff and he caught a flash of her engagement ring, "It worked."

"Room service is gonna be here any minute," Jeff said. "You should probably get going."

Adam could only shake his head. He couldn't believe Matt and that little brat Lianna tricked him.

Viveca walked back into the room and Jeff was about to close the door but he stopped himself, "One more thing Adam.."

Adam waited.

"You were my friend..I trusted you..and you ruined that," Jeff said. "I don't really care what you do in life or what happens to you now, but if you screw with me and my fiancé again…I will not hesitate to kick your ass…You have a nice day now."

--

"So then I just went back to my room," William finished.

Lianna nodded, walking to the car with her brother. He'd offered to take her to breakfast and then spent most of the time telling her about his dinner with Jessica. William had a smile that lit up his face but there was something different about it when he talked about Jessica. He was like a little kid talking about his favorite toy and that made Lianna nervous. Her brother had an ego as large as the Empire State building and he'd never met a woman who could make a chip in it. Jessica seemed different though. She wasn't immediately interested him which, of course, made him more interested in her. But now that they'd spent an evening together, he really seemed fond of her. He let her call him Will. He only let family call him Will and even then he hated it. The problem was, Jessica was quite obviously enthralled with Hunter.

"I was thinking of asking her to go out again tonight," William said. "What do you think?"

Lianna hesitated before smiling and shrugging, "I think you should do whatever you feel is right."

She could only hope her brother's ego didn't take a bigger blow than he was prepared for.

--

Hunter sat on the edge of the bed, head pounding as he waited for Cory. She'd gotten a call from Jacinda, reminding her that she had a signing with John that afternoon and she couldn't be late. She told him they were going to talk once she got her clothes on. Something about the terrified look on her face when he woke up that morning told him that this wasn't going to be a good talk.

Cory walked out of the bathroom, makeup from the night before scrubbed from her face, her matted hair pulled up into a bun. She slowly walked toward him and was about to sit next to him on the bed but then hesitated, deciding instead to sit on a chair. She faced him but she was having trouble meeting his eyes.

"So…" he took a deep breath. "You uh..wanted to talk?"

She nodded, looking down at her hands. Finally, she looked up at him, "Hunter what we did last night was.._horrible_."

Hunter winced, "Wow."

"I mean not _horrible_ like bad sex," she corrected herself. "I don't even _know_ how the sex was. I don't even remember _having_ sex."

"I got it," he held up a hand.

"I just mean..last night we did something _very_ stupid, and very, very wrong," she said emphatically. "I was upset and we were both obviously drunk and…I think it's just best if we pretend it never happened."

When Hunter woke up that morning and found her sleeping beside him, all he wanted was to remember more of the previous night. And she wanted to forget it. He had hoped that what happened between them happened because of some previously unmentioned feelings she had for him but it was pretty obvious that the truth was, she slept with him because she was drunk and feeling rejected. He was her trusted friend who bought her booze and told her she was beautiful.

"I mean…if Jessie found out…I just don't know if I could ever forgive myself," she said. "It would break her heart. So what do you say we just..strike that from the record books?"

The hopeful look in her blue eyes wasn't lost on him. He couldn't tell her no, even if he wanted to.

"Don't worry about it," he gave her a reassuring smile. "It never happened."

--

Dawn tensed, her breath hitching in her throat when she heard the bedroom door open. She knew someone had been in the house for a while but she was hoping that she wouldn't have to meet this person. Anyone who would work with Savannah had to be as dangerous as her, if not worse.

She heard the footsteps stop just inside the door. A scent wafted up to her nose and she tensed even more. It was a man. Savannah had tied a blindfold tightly around her head so she couldn't see him but she definitely smelled cologne.

"Dawn?" a deep voice uttered her name and as he stepped closer to the bed, she inched to the other side as much as she could, cringing.

"You don't need to be afraid," he said.

"Are you here to save me?" she asked.

There was a pause before he sighed, "No."

"Then why shouldn't I be afraid?" she asked, feeling a familiar sting come to her eyes. "Are you gonna help her kill me?"

"No," he answered quickly.

"Then why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm just…I'm just here to take care of you while Savannah's gone," he said. "I don't want to hurt you. You're not the only person Savannah has trapped. She's just got a different kind of hold over me."

--

John looked up when he heard the door open and Cory walked in. She was wearing black shorts and a Smackdown t-shirt, large black glasses covering her eyes. She hadn't noticed him yet and he took a few seconds to just watch her. She took her hair out of it's messy topknot, running her hands through it. Then, she stretched her arms over her head, yawning. He wanted to say something but he wasn't sure what. He felt like an asshole for not calling her. In fact, Jessica had sent him a text message telling him he was an asshole and he needed to call her.

"Hey," he finally spoke up and she jumped, whirling around to face him.

"Jesus Christ, you scared the crap outta me," she put a hand over her chest.

"Sorry," he smiled. "I got here a little early."

She nodded, "Ah..fun."

And then there was silence. Long, awkward silence.

Cory sat on the other end of the couch, looking at her nails. John was staring at a stain on the fabric on the arm of the couch.

_Say something stupid_

"I'm sorry," he blurted.

"What?" she looked up.

"I'm sorry," he turned to her.

"John you don't have to-"

"No, I do," John cut her off. He saw the look on her face when he left her that night. It was a mix of confusion, embarrassment, sadness, frustration…it had it all. And he needed to apologize for putting her through that.

"Cory, you have to understand…I didn't leave the room that night because of you."

She raised a brow at him, crossing her arms.

"This is probably gonna sound stupid but…I like you. I like you a lot, you know that."

"I thought you did," she shrugged.

"I do," he insisted. "I just didn't want to take advantage of you. You have a million things going on in your head and in your heart right now. If we're gonna have something, I want the timing to be right."

She looked away for a second and he was worried until she turned back, the corner of her mouth lifted, "So you walked out on guaranteed sex because the timing wasn't right?"

He nodded, "Yes, yes I did."

She smiled at him, "You're even more decent than I thought John Cena."

--

"So how did he meet Jessica's mother?" Jonah asked. Chris had just given him Frank Jennings' history with Adelle Samms.

"Their history is a lot less complicated," Chris said. "From what Paula tells me, Frank and Debra knew each other in high school. He got her pregnant way before he hooked up with Adelle. They never really dated. Debra was always more into him than he was into her. Right after she found out he was pregnant, he got arrested for assault and Brenda cut him out of her life."

Jonah shook his head, this was so much information to take in. And if it was too much for him to hear, it would definitely be too much for Taylor.

"She doesn't need to know any of this," Jonah shook his head. "Not yet."

"I cant keep lying to her," Chris said, frustrated.

"I know but…she's just not stable enough yet," Jonah said. "I just don't want her to hear all of this and take ten steps back. I mean, we don't really know what this means yet."

"I know," Chris nodded. "But when _am_ I gonna know what it means?"

--

Carter kept his eyes down as he waited in line. His feet were starting to hurt and he wondered why the hell so many idiots did this whenever they had the chance. The signing was supposed to start at Noon. He'd showed up at 9, thinking he'd be at the head of the line. He shook his head, almost laughing at how wrong he'd been. He looked down at the small piece of blue paper in his hand. They'd handed out numbered tickets to the first 500 people in line, assuring them that no matter what, they would get their autograph. He was number 111. Sweat ran down his back and his shirt clung to his skin. He took off his cap for a few seconds before putting it back on. The line was moving incredibly slow and the summer heat combined with all the people cluttered around him was driving him crazy. He should write a letter to the WWE telling them it wasn't a good idea to have autograph signings outside in the damn summer. He couldn't leave though. He had to stay to give Cory the present he brought her. He was finally close enough to get a good look at her. She and John Cena were sitting at a table, flanked by people, some who worked for WWE and others who worked for the mall. They had just finished taking a picture with two teenage girls and now they were laughing and talking with a young boy and his father. Cory took the hat off of John's head and placed it over the boy's blonde hair. The smile that stretched across her face made his stomach turn. She didn't get a lot of things from her mother but that smile, it was just like hers. That bitch. His grip tightened on the box he held. He took a deep breath, smiling as the line moved. He only wished he could see her face when she opened it.

--

"Stop!" Cory giggled, pushing John's hand away from her. He kept trying to tickle her while she signed a poster. She handed it back to the fan, smiling, "Excuse him, he doesn't know how to act around people."

She opened her bottle of water as the next fan walked up. It was incredibly hot and they weren't anywhere near done. She hoped she didn't pass out on anyone.

The next man smiled at her and she finished her water quickly before smiling back, "Hello, how are you?"

"I'm great," he smiled. "It's really nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," she smiled. "How long have you been here today?"

"A few hours," he shrugged.

"Well I really appreciate you coming out," she smiled. "You have something you want me to sign?"

He handed her a magazine and she looked up at him, "What's your name?"

"Frank," he smiled.

"Nice to meet you Frank," she signed the autograph. As she was signing, he slid a brightly wrapped box onto the table.

"I brought you something," he smiled when she handed the magazine back to him.

"You didn't have to do that, thank you," she smiled.

"You're welcome," he said. "Don't open it yet."

"Okay," she laughed.

She set the box beside two others she'd received and reached up, giving him a quick hug before he moved to get John's autograph.

When he was done with John he looked back at her and she smiled, waving, "See you later."

He smiled, "I hope so."

--

"I mean, what was I supposed to say?" Lianna asked. "No William, I think you should stop pursuing someone who _obviously_ doesn't want you."

Matt shook his head. Lianna was explaining to him what was going on between her brother and Jessica and why she was concerned.

"You did the right thing," Matt insisted. "And, you never know, maybe William's persistence will pay off with Jess and prove that you're just a pessimistic little shrew."

"Oh shut up Hardy," she gave him a disgusted look then smiled brightly as the smoothie she ordered was placed on the counter. She paid for her drink and then they walked outside, "So if you're such a relationship guru…Why are you still single? I mean, aside from the obvious reasons."

"Very funny," he rolled his eyes. "If you must know..the last girl I had feelings for fell in love with my brother. And before you ask, _no_, it was not Viveca."

Matt wasn't exactly sure why he shared that information but he knew he was about to regret it. He could only imagine all the shots Lianna would take at him with that kind of ammunition. To his surprise though, she took another drink from her smoothie and then looked over at him, "I'm sorry. That really sucks."

Matt nodded.

"Wanna talk about something else?" she asked.

Grateful, but wary, he nodded, "That'd be nice."

"Okay, subject change," she said. "Since we got Jeff and V back together..do we _have_ to buy them a wedding present?"

--

"You feel better?" John put his arm around Cory's shoulders as they walked to the car. During the first part of the signing, Cory was suffering from a nasty hangover and all the camera flashes started making her nauseous.

"I think so," she nodded, climbing into the back of the limo after waving to the last few fans who were just leaving. He opened a bottle of water and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she smiled, leaning back. "You know, I really love signings. Even sick as a dog, they're so much fun."

"You say that 'cause you get presents," John said. "I didn't get anything."

"You got a cheek full of lipstick," she smirked, wiping at his cheek with her thumb. "And I could swear I saw someone give you a pair of panties."

"Yeah," John nodded. "I didn't keep those."

Cory laughed, drinking some of her water.

"Open some of your presents, I wanna see what you got," he said.

"If you insist," she said, picking up the one on top of the pile. She leaned against John, her head on his shoulder as she untied the ribbon.

"Hurry up woman," he joked and she elbowed him in the side.

"I'll do as I please," she laughed, taking the top off.

She couldn't hold back a gasp as she uncovered the box. She reached inside, pulling out her 'present'. A Barbie doll that had been stripped naked, her tattoos painted on it in eerie detail. There was a tiny noose around her neck and her eyes had been blocked out.

"What the fuck?" John took it from her, dropping it back into the box.

"Well that's lovely," Cory said, feeling goose bumps pop up on her arms.

"You wanna call the police?" John asked. He tapped on the glass separating them from their driver, "Excuse me, don't leave yet, we need to-"

"John it's okay," Cory stopped him, shaking her head. "It's just a stupid joke. It's okay."

--

"Don't you see it Grier?" Owen asked. "Mrs. Greenburg said she's seen a pretty girl with brown hair going into the Farisse place. We found brown hairs at the Farisse place that couldn't have been his _plus_ the same hair in Dawn's house. What are the odds of that _and_ the same synthetic hair in each place."

Owen was once again trying to convince his superior that something needed to be done. Stephen had been furious when Owen told him about going to see Mrs. Greenburg. He reminded him that he could lose his job but Owen was well aware of that. It was worth the risk. He was passionate about this case.

"Wagner, let it go," Stephen rolled his eyes. "Why cant you just drop this?"

"Didn't you read in the file, her best friend got a call from her after she was abducted, the friend said that she could tell something was wrong but Dawn was telling her she was going away."

"And?"

"How do we know she's not being kept somewhere?" Owen asked. "If they kept her alive long enough to make that call, how do we know she's not still alive?"

"Because it's been too long," Stephen insisted. "Don't be an idiot."

"Farisse's killer used a silencer," Owen continued. "Whoever abducted Dawn was careful and quiet enough to get in, trash the house, and get her out without a neighbor knowing but both people were dumb enough to leave behind trace evidence. You really think, with all that information, that we're dealing with two different, careful yet sloppy criminals? You cant expect me to let this go Grier."

"Yes I can," Stephen said, ready for the conversation to end. "And just in case you're thinking of going off on your own again…if I find out you're still working this…you're suspended."

--


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay peeps, here's the next chapter...As I said before, there's a bit of a time skip here but I'll definitely catch you all up on all of the characters. _And_, I'm introducing a new character..I think you'll all like her. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!! I'll get to work on the next ch as soon as i can.**

**Chapter 9...**

_November…_

_Asheville, North Carolina_

"Can you explain to me why _all of us_ have to be up this early because _Viveca_ didn't wanna sleep in?" Jessica asked, dropping her head down on the table in front of her.

"Because we're in the bridal party and we're here to support our friend," Cory said loudly, knowing Viveca wasn't far. She kept an eye on the door, adding in a whisper, "And V's crazy, she wouldn't let us go back to sleep if we tried."

After months of planning, the day had finally come. Jeff Hardy and Viveca Johnson were getting married.

Viveca woke up in a panic at 6 in the morning, waking up her sister and maid of honor, Lianna, who subsequently woke up her bridesmaids, Cory, Jessica, and Jeff's cousin Norah. Now they were all sitting in Viveca's suite, wishing for a nap.

Lianna walked back into the room carrying bottles of cold water and handing them out, "Okay..whatever you do, when she gets back in here, do _not_ mention the heat."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jessica said, pressing her water bottle against her sweaty forehead.

It was hot. Incredibly hot. But they'd all been doing their best to pretend they didn't notice.

"Where is my mom?" Lianna looked around. "I need her here to help me keep Viveca calm."

"She went somewhere with Mrs. Samms-Rutledge, they said they'd be back in like a half hour," Norah answered.

"Norah, you don't have to be so formal," Jessica said. "You can just call her Adelle, or Cory's mom or something."

"Besides, if you're gonna use her last name you've gotta use all of them. Mrs. Spencer-Cambridge-Samms-Tucker-Jensen-Harrison-Rutledge," Cory said, sitting on the floor, her back against the foot of the bed. "Why exactly was my mother invited to this wedding again?"

"Because she's Viveca's hero after she helped them book this place," Lianna reminded her.

Viveca fell in love with the Biltmore Estate the second she saw it. After about a month of arguing, Viveca and Jeff decided to get married in North Carolina. Then, after another month of touring ceremony and reception sites in all of their off time, they were referred to the Biltmore. The estate, built in 1895 is the largest home in America. More of a castle, it spanned 8,000 acres with 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, a bowling alley, three pools, and 74 acres of formal gardens. It was modeled after a classic French chateau and was exactly what Viveca wanted. Unfortunately, the dates Viveca and Jeff had to choose from were very limited due to their work schedules and the week they chose, the Biltmore was booked for something else. When Viveca called Cory, who had been a big part of helping with wedding planning, her friend placed a reluctant phone call to the one person she knew could scare the Biltmore staff into changing some things around. Her mother. She called Adelle on a Monday morning and before they started taping Raw, her mother called her back to let her know they had the Biltmore for the week _and_ she had security heightened so that there would be no tourists allowed on the grounds until the wedding party was gone.

Cory shrugged, "She didn't do that much. Being a scary, intimidating witch is what she does."

"Well what she did got Viveca her dream wedding so she's invited," Lianna said.

Viveca stormed into the room, angrily hanging up her cell phone.

"What's the matter?" Norah asked.

"Well, where do you want me to start?" Viveca asked, hands on her hips. "I cant find my mother. I cant get a hold of Jeff. I'm tired, and I picked this place because the average temperature in November is _50_ yet _somehow_ on _my_ wedding day, it's 80 _god damn_ degrees."

"Well, I heard on the news this morning that the record high here this time of year is 83 so…it could be worse," Norah said sweetly.

Viveca glared but before she could say anything, Jessica spoke up, "It's not that hot V," she downed the rest of her water. "Really it's..comfortable."

"I'm _sweating_," Viveca said, pulling her shirt away from her body to illustrate her point. "We're all sweating. It's _disgusting_."

"The wedding is later in the day, it'll cool down," Norah smiled.

"And mom is out with Mrs…Cory's mom," Lianna laughed.

"And Jeff…we're not sure where Jeff and the other guys are but that's not important. They're adults. They'll be fine," Cory shrugged. Jeff and his groomsmen, best man Matt, John, Jason, and William spent the night on the other side of the house so Jeff and Viveca didn't see each other. Cory knew they called it a relatively early night because John called her when he was going to bed at about 1:30.

"See, everything is fine," Lianna put her arm around her sister's shoulders. She guided her over to the couch, "Now just sit down and relax, the staff is sending up a light breakfast for all of us and the people from the spa should be here in an hour. Everything's gonna be perfect."

Viveca sat down, crossing her arms over her chest, "It better be."

--

"I bet Viveca's screaming her little head off with this heat," Glenn laughed, shaking his head.

"Poor thing," Mark laughed, placing the tuxedos they'd been sent to pick up in the backseat of his truck. "She gets worked up so easily."

"We better get back with these things before she calls us again," Glenn said as they got into the car. A few of the men's tuxes needed some last minute alterations and of course, just to add to Viveca's stress level, they hadn't been finished until that morning.

Glenn started the car and they set on their way back to the Biltmore. Mark looked out the window, watching as downtown Asheville's scenery passed by.

Glenn's phone rang and Mark looked over as he answered it quickly, holding the phone to his ear. The sunlight shined off of Glenn's wedding ring and Mark looked away. He still couldn't believe his friend had gone through with it. Glenn and Jacinda eloped in August. She insisted on it because she didn't want to be pregnant during her wedding. They were planning on having a big ceremony once the baby was born. Mark couldn't explain it. Jacinda was perfectly nice to him, she was perfectly nice to everyone. There was just something about her that gave Mark a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something just wasn't right.

Glenn finished his phone call and they continued to ride in silence. Mark could see out of the corner of his eye that Glenn kept looking at him. He'd been doing that all morning.

"What?" he broke the silence.

"Nothing," Glenn shook his head, focusing on the road.

"You've been looking at me like a mother checkin' in on her baby all morning, what do you want?"

Glenn sighed, "Fine…are you sure you're alright?"

Mark rolled his eyes. He was sure he'd have to deal with this conversation with Cory today, probably even John, but he hoped Glenn wouldn't go there.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Mark asked.

"It's a wedding," Glenn said. "Weddings tend to make people think of…look, you know why I'm asking. Besides, with the way things happened last week..I don't think I'm wrong to be worried."

Dawn's birthday was the week before. That day wasn't exactly his finest. After the Raw taping, he went to the hotel bar. He couldn't really remember anything after that but he was told the night ended with him passed out in the hotel lobby. Fortunately, Glenn and John found him before hotel security did and got him upstairs to his room.

"Look…I know I haven't been doing that great the past few weeks but..Jeff and Viveca are my friends. I'm happy for them. I'm trying my best not to think about..anything."

"I just wanna make sure you know that if you need anyth-"

"I don't," Mark cut him off. "I'm fine."

--

Taylor placed another puzzle piece on the floor in front of her. Paula had bought her a bunch of puzzles. The doctors said it would be good for her to have some sort of hobby, something to focus on. She was having a hard time keeping her mind on the castle she was putting together. She kept thinking about what day it was. Viveca and Jeff, some of her closest friends, were getting married. And she couldn't be there. Chris had even asked for permission for her to be released long enough to attend the wedding and fly back right after but her doctors wouldn't allow it. They didn't think she was getting any better. Taylor rubbed her eyes, blinking rapidly. She hadn't slept in three days and she was exhausted. Her eyes were starting to burn. The last time she slept, she had a dream. She was walking through a cemetery and she came to her father's grave. She was talking to him, begging him to leave her alone, to let her get better. Then, his hand reached through the dirt and grabbed her, dragging her inside with him. He promised her that he would never let her go, she would never be rid of him. He said that he killed her mother and he wouldn't stop until she had no one left. After that, anytime she thought she was about to fall asleep, she felt his cold hands on her and heard his voice and she snapped awake. The doctors still thought she was delusional. Over the past few months, she'd flown into rages, insisting she saw him outside again. They kept putting her on and taking her off of suicide watch and changing her medication. Sometimes she felt like she barely knew who she was anymore. When she saw him, it just felt so real. She would look out her window and see him, sometimes in a car, sometimes standing out in broad daylight. She'd looked into his eyes and every time she felt a terror she couldn't begin to explain. But no one else saw him. Every day someone was coming into her room to tell her that the things she saw and felt weren't real. She looked down at her puzzle and then around the room she'd been confined to for months. She was beginning to wonder if she would ever get out.

--

Sarah Chadwick twisted her hair up into a bun, reading through another article, highlighting anything that stood out to her. Her eyes were getting tired but fortunately, she was in the perfect place to keep herself awake. Starbucks. She was pretty sure the amount of caffeine she consumed on a daily basis was incredibly unhealthy but she couldn't help it. She'd only been a working reporter for a year and everyone she'd worked with so far told her that her greatest strength was the way she threw herself into stories. This wasn't any story though. She was looking into the death of Michael Farisse. A few journalists here and there had interest in the mysterious case but none of them were more determined to find out what happened than her. Because Michael Farisse had been a good friend to her. They knew each other for years. He was a good person. He didn't deserve what happened to him. Sarah wanted to find out who took his life and make them pay. Unfortunately, with nothing but newspaper articles and completely uncooperative policemen, she didn't have a whole lot to work with.

She looked down at the number to the forensics lab that one of her fellow reporters had given her.

"Ask for Owen Wagner," Jacob Dunn had told her. "He was snooping around the Farisse case but couldn't get any leads and his boss cut him off. Maybe you can find out what he knows."

"It's worth a shot," Sarah sighed, picking up her cell phone and dialing the number.

"Hello."

"Hello," Sarah smiled. "My name is Sarah Chadwick…I was wondering if an Owen Wagner is still employed with your lab."

"Yes he is," the woman on the other end answered. "May I ask what you're calling in reference to?"

--

"I think that necklace will look fabulous with your dress," Adelle said as she and Lorraine began the three mile drive from the Biltmore's front gate to the main house. They'd just returned form downtown Asheville after Lorraine decided to pick up a last minute wedding present for Jeff. While they were in town, Adelle had been drawn into a jewelry store and ended up spending more money than Lorraine had ever seen anyone spend at one time without having a house or a car to show for it. One of the items she'd insisted on buying was a necklace Lorraine was looking at. They'd spent a lot of time together that week and Lorraine often found herself in awe of Adelle for various reasons. For one, she was one of the most perfect looking people Lorraine had ever seen. She always had her hair and makeup done. She hadn't seen her in jeans or a t-shirt once, nothing but designer clothes and stiletto heels. She was also in awe of the relationship she had with her daughter. They'd been at the Biltmore for days, yet Lorraine hadn't seen them touch once. Not a hug, a kiss on the cheek, nothing. The only smiles she'd even seen them give each other were full of sarcasm.

They parked the car and got out, going around to the trunk to get the bags. Lorraine picked up the bag containing her new necklace and shook her head, "You really didn't have to do that. It's too much."

"Trust me..I can afford it," Adelle flashed a 100 watt smile. "Besides, today is a special day for you too. I practically raised my step-sons with my first husband and when Bradley got married it was such a beautiful day. And look at this place, you've got a beautiful estate, the finest vendors, it's perfection."

Lorraine smiled, "This is all beautiful but..I think the real excitement is just knowing how happy my daughter is. Jeff is going to be such a wonderful addition to the family. When they look at each other they both light up."

"He seems nice enough.._eccentric_," Adelle smirked.

"He's definitely that," Lorraine nodded. "But I wouldn't want him any other way. He's just such a _good_ person. He knows who he is and he accepts everyone for who they are. He makes my daughter smile every day and that's all I could ask for, someone who makes her happy."

"I wish that for my daughter," Adelle sighed. "Cory's the only one of my children who isn't in a relationship. She's entirely too pretty for that…I want her to find someone good for her. The men she likes though…I just cant take it sometimes."

Cory and Viveca had become very close in the last few months and Lorraine had gotten the opportunity to spend a lot of time around Adelle's youngest. She didn't think Adelle really gave her daughter a fair shot.

"Listen, I obviously haven't known Cory as long as you but I do know that you're right…she is a _beautiful_ girl and that beauty is just as much on the inside as it is out. And she sees beauty in other people. If Cory finds someone that makes her happy, then that person must be someone special."

Adelle pursed her lips as they walked up toward the front door, "You and I have very different views on my daughter's taste."

--

"God, when are you gonna have the baby already?" Savannah angrily paced back and forth.

Dawn looked down at her enormous stomach, wondering the same thing. She could feel her hands shaking as Savannah walked in front of her. Savannah had gotten increasingly angry and violent in the last month. She'd hit Dawn more than once, being careful to avoid her stomach. That morning, she'd slapped her so hard her cheek started to swell immediately. Savannah was crazy, that was obvious, but she'd become so unpredictable that sometimes Dawn was afraid to speak. Anything could set her off.

"_When_?" Savannah asked, raking a hand through her hair. "Do you know how stressful this is for me? I need you to have this baby _now_."

"I cant control that," Dawn said. "I cant just start pushing whenever I want and pop out a baby."

Savannah shook her head, still pacing. Then, she stopped, a smile spreading across her face, "We're just gonna have to find some way to induce your labor, aren't we?"

--

Cory closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she tried to relax. She was hoping that she could fall asleep for a few minutes and Viveca wouldn't notice. She loved her friends dearly but she was beginning to hope they could just get this wedding over with and get out of the heat.

Cory had arranged for spa treatments for all of them to make sure everyone was nice and relaxed for the wedding.

"Where's Lianna?" Viveca's voice broke through the comfortable quiet. "She's been gone for like 15 minutes."

Cory sighed, shaking her head. The maid of honor had been MIA for a while. Before anyone could respond to the bride's question, Lianna poked her head into the room, "Cory…can I see you out here for a minute?"

Cory smiled, all hopes for a nap shot, and stood up, "Sure Li."

She walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Lianna started pacing back and forth, "We have a problem."

"What kind of a problem?"

"I've been on the phone with the caterer," Lianna sighed. "They're having problems because of the heat, they're gonna be late. They haven't even finished the cake."

Cory tensed, putting her hands on her hips, "How late?"

"Middle of the reception late," Lianna said, looking like she was about to jump out a window. "We cant let Viveca find out she'll lose her mind. What do we do? We have all these people coming and-"

"Lianna, calm down before I have to slap you," Cory put her hands on the shorter woman's shoulders. "Take a deep breath," Cory ordered and Lianna followed. "You are gonna paste on a big smile and go in there and get a massage..talk to Viveca like everything is fine and I will handle this."

"But-"

"I _promise_ I will have it handled in fifteen minutes," Cory assured her. "Tell Viveca I had to go do..something. I'll be right back."

--

Jeff sat down, laughing as his groomsmen parked their ATVs. Since Cory and Lianna planned a relaxing spa morning for the women, he figured he need to do something fun for his groomsmen. He decided on ATV rides around the Biltmore grounds. They had a great time until John went over a bump and fell off his ATV, then Jeff, trying to help, went over the same bump and fell as well. Both men were fine, their 'injuries' looked a lot worse than they were. Now, they were parked near the house, and he had a surprise for them.

"You gonna be okay Cena?" Jason laughed.

"I'm fine Reso," John laughed. "I still look better than you."

"You wish," Jason laughed.

"Guys, guys, before you have a walk off, I've got something for all of you," Jeff said.

"Uh oh," William laughed.

Jeff grabbed the bags he put there earlier that morning, handing one to each of them.

"What are these?" Matt asked.

"A gift from Viveca and I for all of you," Jeff explained. "You can open 'em now or later, it's up to you."

Jeff laughed as all of them opened their gifts, matching silver watches. Viveca picked them out, Jeff didn't wear a watch himself so he had no idea what to buy.

"These are great man, thank you," Jason smiled.

They all thanked him and Jeff shrugged, "I just wanna thank you all for being a part of the best day of my life. I never really thought this day would come and I'm glad to have you all here with me. Hopefully I can be there for yours. You're all good guys and I'm sure you'll find someone you want to be with for the rest of your lives like I have."

"That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard," John said, wiping away an imaginary tear.

"Me too," Jason sniffed. "Should we have a group hug now?"

"Shut up," Jeff laughed as all of the men held their arms open. "Come on, we gotta head back inside."

--

Viveca crossed her arms over her chest, looking at the door, "Where is she?"

"She'll be back any minute," Lianna smiled, trying not to look at the door. Cory had been gone 17 minutes and she was starting to get nervous. Viveca was ready to give out gifts and she was getting impatient.

"I hope she didn't get lost," Norah said. "This place is _huge_."

"She didn't get lost," Cory smiled, breezing into the room. "Sorry about that, phone call took longer than I expected."

Cory gave Lianna a quick wink and she felt herself relax a little as everyone gathered around Viveca.

"Okay, here you go," Viveca excitedly handed everyone the small, pale pink gift bags. They all stood there and Viveca rolled her eyes, "Hurry up and open them, we don't have all day."

"Nice V," Jessica laughed, pulling out the small velvet box. Lianna followed suit, her jaw dropping when she opened the box to find a pair of diamond earrings.

"They're real so you better not lose them," Viveca laughed as Norah squealed and hugged her.

"V, you didn't have to do this," Cory hugged her.

"Yes I did," Viveca smiled. "And I also have to do this…I wanna tell all of you why I chose you to be in the wedding."

Viveca looked at Norah, smiling, "You have been such a big help to me planning this wedding and you've done so much to make me feel like a part of the Hardy family and I cant begin to tell you how much I appreciate that."

"It's no problem," Norah smiled. "We all love you."

"And Jessie…on my very first day in the company, you were the first person I met. We were at the airport and you just walked up and introduced yourself and helped me get my bags. I was _so_ nervous that I wouldn't make friends at first but you were just so nice to me. You took me out with all of your friends and introduced me to everyone, showed me all the ins and outs and threatened to kick Portia's ass when she was rude to me. You took me in and made me part of the family and I'll always love you for that."

"I love you too V," Jessica hugged her.

"Cory..you and I have been friends since we met but..the last few months I've felt like we've gotten a lot closer. You're such a good friend, you always have my back, and this wedding wouldn't be nearly as perfect without everything you did for me. And you make me laugh more than anybody I know."

"I try," Cory smiled.

Viveca walked up to her sister, tears in her eyes, "Lianna…I abandoned you for years and you found it in your heart to accept my apology and allow me back into your life. And as if that's not incredible enough, you helped me get Jeff back. I'm marrying the man of my dreams and it's all thanks to you. I always know that you're there for me and I want you to know I will _always_ be there for you. Thank you so much for everything."

Lianna's eyes were so full of tears she could barely see as she reached forward, hugging her sister tightly.

"I'm glad we don't have any makeup on yet," Norah laughed as Lianna and Viveca pulled apart, both wiping their eyes.

Viveca's phone rang and she excused herself. As Jessica and Norah showed each other their gifts, Lianna looked over at Cory, "So?"

Cory smirked, "They'll be here on time and with some extra food."

"What'd you do?" Lianna asked. "I was practically in tears on the phone with them and I got nothing."

"Tears don't always work," Cory said. "But throwing a monster bitch fit does."

--

4:00 P.M.

Viveca walked down the hall, looking for her mother. She hadn't seen her in about 20 minutes and she was fairly certain everyone was hiding from her. The ceremony was set to start in 2 hours and the closer it got, the harder it was for her to find anyone. She knew everyone was afraid of her losing her cool but she couldn't help it. She just wanted this day to be perfect. There wasn't going to be any redo. If she had her way, this would be the only wedding she'd have for the rest of her life.

She stopped walking when she saw something that would definitely make her day less perfect. Liam was flirting with one of the young woman from the Biltmore staff. So far, she'd caught him hitting on just about every woman in sight that he wasn't related to. If there was anything she'd learned about this older version of Liam since reconnecting with her family, it was that he was _constantly_ on the prowl.

She tightened the belt on her robe and walked quickly over to her brother, grabbing his arm, "Excuse us."

The young blonde smiled as Viveca dragged him off down the hall until they were alone, "Liam!"

"What?" he put his hands up. "What'd I do?"

"It's not what you did it's what you were about to do," Viveca pointed. "Or should I so who?"

"Oh come on V," Liam sighed. "I was just talking to her."

"About what?" Viveca raised a brow.

Liam smirked, "I don't think it's appropriate to discuss that with you."

Viveca reached up, grabbing the front of Liam's shirt and pulling him down so they were face to face, "Liam, I love you so much but I am very stressed out today so please don't take what I'm about to say too personally…I need you to keep it in your pants today you little sex fiend."

"I'm not a fiend Vivie," Liam laughed.

"Yeah, you are," she said. "But you need to consider every single woman in attendance off limits, _especially_ my coworkers and Jeff's family members…got it?"

"All your coworkers?" Liam pouted.

"Liam!"

"Okay, okay," he smiled giving her a hug. "I'll be good."

--

Cory took off her shoes as she walked to the men's suite. Her feet were killing her and she was beginning to wish Viveca hadn't picked such a tight dress for her. Each of the bridesmaids had a different dress, all in the same shade of pale pink and Cory's was the only one with a tight, fitted skirt. The heat was beginning to make it _very_ uncomfortable. She and Lianna had split up to check on a few things. The chairs for the ceremony were set up incorrectly so Lianna and Adelle were down in the gardens trying to take care of that. Cory was assigned the task of making sure the men were going to be ready on time. She reached the suite, using her shoe to knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she heard Jason's voice.

"Open the door," she tapped her heel on the door again.

The door opened and William smiled brightly at her, "Hey Cory."

"William," she smiled, walking past him. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"I've got my pants on," William shrugged.

Cory crossed her arms looking around the room as everyone said hi to her. Matt and Jason were still wearing jeans, though Jason did have his shirt on. Then, she looked over at John. He looked like he'd been in a car accident. He had a scrape on his forehead and scratches all over.

"Oh my God, what happened to you?" she dropped her shoes, rushing over to him.

"I'm okay," he smiled as she touched the side of his face.

"Are you sure?" she asked, worried. The last time she saw him, he looked just fine. "What happened?"

"We took a ride around this morning," Jason explained. "Cena fell off an ATV."

"You went riding ATVs the morning of a wedding?" Cory asked, standing up, resisting the urge to smack John upside the head. "Are you all stupid?"

"It was Jeff's idea," John insisted.

"Jeff!" Cory yelled. The bathroom door opened and Cory's hand went to her mouth when she saw the groom. He had a dark bruise on the side of his face, covering his cheek and part of his eye. "Holy shit."

"What? What's wrong?" Jeff looked around.

"Your face," she pointed.

"Oh yeah," Jason put a hand on her shoulder. "He fell too."

"Do you have _any_ idea how bad Viveca is going to freak out when she sees a huge ass bruise on your face today of all days?" she asked.

Jeff smiled sheepishly, "It's pretty bad, huh?"

"Yeah J, it's pretty damn bad," she nodded. "Somebody give me a phone."

No one moved.

"_Now_," she ordered and quickly she had three phones in her face. She grabbed one of them, calling Lianna.

"Hello?"

"Let the evil one take care of the seating," Cory said. "I need your help in the men's suite."

"What's going on?" Lianna asked.

"You'll see when you get here," Cory said. "And tell my mother you need her makeup."

--


	10. Chapter 10

**My Peeps, how I've missed you. Here's the next chapter. Hope ya love it, I do. The next chapter is already a work in progress, I'm gonna try to get the next chapter up before the weekend. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Please keep the reviews coming!!**

**Chapter 10...**

5:15 P.M.

"What happened?" Lianna and Cory rushed into the bridal suite. Norah sent them both a 9-1-1 text message.

"This happened," Jessica stepped out of the way, allowing them to get a good look at Viveca. She was still in her robe, her hair and makeup done, veil on. And her skin was covered in bright red blotches.

"Oh my God," Lianna said before she could stop herself.

Viveca's lips trembled and then she broke into sobs. Norah put her arms around her and Jessica walked up, speaking in hushed tones, "She's been like this for the last half hour. We've tried fans and giving her water, it just gets worse and worse. _Where_ have you two been?"

"Trying to prevent _this_," Lianna pointed.

"V, honey, what's wrong?" Cory asked, walking over and guiding Viveca to a chair.

"I don't know," Viveca said. "I'm freaking out. I cant talk to Jeff, I don't know what's going on out there. I cant find my shoes. It's like the _god damn_ _desert_ outside."

"Okay, you need to calm down," Cory knelt in front of her. "Take a deep breath, you getting all worked up, plus this heat, is probably what's making your skin get like this."

"I look like a cherry tomato," Viveca said angrily. "How am I supposed to calm down?"

There was as knock on the door and Lianna opened it, breathing a deep sigh of relief as Lorraine entered the room.

"I had a feeling this would happen," Lorraine sighed, a warm smile on her face. She wasn't at all surprised by her daughter's nervous state. "When she was a little girl, she would break out in hives whenever something important was going to happen."

"Mom, this is not embarrassing memory lane time," Viveca cried.

"Ladies, can you give us a few minutes alone, please?" Lorraine asked.

Everyone left and Viveca looked at herself in the mirror, sobs starting when she saw her skin.

"I just want this day to be perfect," Viveca cried. "That's all I wanted."

"Viveca, sweetheart," Lorraine sat beside her daughter. "I want you to take a deep breath and listen to me, okay?"

Viveca nodded.

"I understand why you're worked up," Lorraine insisted. "I was the same way when I married your father. But what you need to remember is that what you and Jeff have is forever. Your wedding day is a beautiful day and it's a day you'll remember forever but…Vivie, marriage is full of beautiful days that will tattoo themselves on your brain for the rest of time."

The corners of Viveca's mouth twitched up but tears were still streaming down her face.

"When I think back to my favorite times with your father…our wedding day is pretty low in the top 10. Don't get me wrong, it was amazing but I have so many more amazing memories."

Lorraine put her arms around her shoulders, "I just want you to relax and enjoy this. Your wedding isn't something to stress over this way. You're treating it like it's some sort of ending that has to be absolutely spotless or it will ruin your life..That's not what this is sweetheart, it's a beginning. A wonderful beginning."

Lorraine stood up and pulled Viveca up, turning so they were both looking In the mirror. Her skin was slowly starting to return to normal and, fortunately, her makeup was still in tact.

"You are a gorgeous bride," Lorraine said. "An incredible daughter…and you're going to make a great wife."

--

"Don't worry," William said as he and Jessica walked through the garden. "My mother can calm her down. I assure you, the woman has words of wisdom for any given situation."

"I hope so," Jessica said. "Because there's no way she's coming out here in hives."

"Probably not," William laughed, looking over at her, trying to discreetly admire how good she looked. Viveca had chosen a very simple pale pink dress for Jessica. It was strapless with a flowing skirt that stopped at her knees. Her dark hair was curled very loosely and swept over her shoulder.

"You like the dress?" she asked, turning around in front of him. "V would not stop complaining about how hard it was to find the right dresses for big boobs."

William laughed, "Well I'd say in your case she did a very good job."

"I think so too," she smiled, stopping to admire the garden. "This place is really beautiful."

"Yeah it is," he nodded. He wasn't a person who was touched by the idea of weddings, he didn't get tears in his eyes or anything but he was happy that his sister was going to have her dream wedding and he hoped the fact that he and Jessica were set to walk down the aisle together would give her a few ideas. They'd become friends. His attraction to her had evolved from a purely physical thing to a genuine fondness for her. She was smart and funny and very easy to be around. They went out quite a bit but they were rarely alone. They spent a lot of time with Cory, Mark, John, and, of course, Hunter. He liked them all, even Hunter, but it was getting frustrating. He couldn't believe she'd managed to resist him for this long.

"Hey, I was just looking for you two."

William closed his eyes for a second to keep from rolling them when he heard Hunter's voice. He opened them just in time to see Jessica's face light up as if she were a bride seeing her groom.

"Well here we are," William smiled.

"Cory's mom said everyone should start heading back toward the house, the guests are almost all here so the ceremony is gonna start pretty soon."

"Okay," Jessica smiled, taking William's hand. He felt a smile start but it fell when her other hand grabbed Hunter's as the walked back toward the main house.

He shook his head, wondering if he would ever get past this hump.

--

"Hello Mr. Cena."

John turned around, to see who was talking to him. He was somewhat surprised to find Adelle in front of him. She was dressed to the nines as usual in a red strapless dress and probably more diamonds than the bride. He hadn't spent a lot of time around her while everyone was staying at the Biltmore and he had a feeling he wouldn't regret that. He'd met two of her children and had barely ever heard a good word about the woman.

"Please, call me John," he smiled. "Even my dad doesn't go by Mr. Cena."

"John," she smiled brightly. "I've been looking for you."

"Really, why's that?" he asked.

"I know that you've been a very big help to my daughter during this trying time in her life and I want to thank you for that," she said.

"You really don't have to thank me," John said. "Cory's one of my best friends. I'm always gonna be there for her."

"How sweet," Adelle tilted her head, smiling. It was the same smile that Cory had when she was lying.

"Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked.

"Not exactly," she said. "You see John, I just..well from what I hear you're a very nice person and I wanted to warn you."

"Warn me?" he smirked. This was sure to be good. "About what exactly?"

"I'm sure that after spending so much time with Corinne you've probably developed some.._feelings_, correct?" she sipped from a glass of champagne.

John didn't answer. Adelle simply shrugged, "I just ask because it's not in your best interest to thinkt hat you can ever have anything meaningful with my daughter."

John wasn't sure what to say. He just stood there, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Cory is..fickle," Adelle drank more champagne. "She's easily roped in by handsome, blue collar charmers like you but she's just as easily bored. She's gotten everything she ever wanted her entire life and though she'll never admit it..She's just as spoiled as her mother. She may slum it with men like you for a time but if you allow yourself to fall for her…I guarantee you'll get your heart broken. You're not the type of guy that can keep her forever."

John felt the muscles in his neck growing tense. He couldn't believe that someone like Cory could be the spawn of a woman like this. He wasn't really offended by the little shots she'd taken at him. He didn't take 'blue collar' as an insult. But the implication that Cory was anything like her…that bothered him.

"Now that I've let you speak..may I?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she smiled.

"With all do respect ma'am…From what I hear, Cory was raised by her step-father, her grandparents, and nannies. I don't think you know her well enough to make judgments like that."

Adelle's jaw clenched and one of her brows just barely lifted.

"I don't know what type of guy Cory was with before and, frankly, I don't care. I know she's spoiled but I also know that she is _nothing_ like you. Whether I have feelings for Cory or not is none of your business, that's between me and her. But…thanks for the warning though. I'm sure that came from the heart."

She was about to respond but then John heard a voice calling his name.

"She's got great timing doesn't she?" he smiled at Adelle when he realized it was Cory. He smiled when he saw her, waving her over. She stopped, giving him a look when she saw who he was talking to. Before she could get away, Adelle spotted her and smiled.

Cory reluctantly walked over and John took her hand, stepping back to look at her, "Isn't it considered disrespectful to look this good at a wedding?"

She looked absolutely beautiful and the look on her mother's face was priceless. This was going to be an interesting night.

--

_6:15_

Lianna pulled the veil over her sister's head, smiling through tears.

"What are you crying for you big baby?" Viveca smiled, tears filling her own eyes.

"You look so beautiful," Lianna sniffed. "And my big sister is getting married, I'm entitled to some emotion."

"I wouldn't have made it through this day without you," Viveca smiled as Lianna handed over her bouquet.

"You aren't done yet V," Liam walked up, extending his elbow. "Time to get out there. You ready for this?"

Viveca smiled, nodding, "I've never been more ready for anything."

The music began and Jeff's six year old cousin Lily and Mick Foley's son Michael, the flower girl and ring bearer walked down the aisle together, followed by Norah and Jason, Jessica and William, then Cory and John. Matt offered Lianna his arm and she looked over her shoulder, winking at her sister before making a face at Matt and looping her arm through his. They began their walk and then Liam offered Viveca his arm.

"This is us," he smiled.

She took a deep breath and everyone's eyes turned to her as they started down the aisle. She smiled at a few people before looking straight ahead. When she saw Jeff standing there, her breath caught in her throat. Tears filled her eyes again but for the first time that day, she didn't feel like she was going to panic. This feeling was the most amazing calm she'd ever felt. She was about to become Mrs. Jeff Hardy.

--

Jeff could feel his palms getting sweaty and he looked nervously at Lorraine, who was seated next to his father. He and Viveca had decided against having separate sides for their families. His father smiled at him and he tried to smile back before giving Lorraine a questioning look. The wedding was supposed to start 15 minutes ago and now Jeff was getting nervous. What if she changed her mind? What if she decided she couldn't do it?

Lorraine gave him a warm reassuring smile and he tried to push all negative thoughts out of his mind. He jumped when the music finally began and when Lily and Michael walked down the aisle, Lily tossing flower petals every which way, Jeff felt a smile spread across his face. Each of his groomsmen patted him on the shoulder before taking their place. When he finally laid eyes on his future wife, butterflies filled his stomach. But this wasn't the same as the nerves he felt before. This was a good, hopeful feeling. The only thing he was nervous about now was figuring out how to be the best possible husband once this day was over. She smiled at him and he probably wouldn't admit it later but his eyes felt a little misty. She looked gorgeous in a strapless white dress with a full skirt. Her hair was flowing in loose waves under her thin white veil and when she stopped in front of him, he felt his heart trying to beat it's way out of his chest.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hey," he smiled back at her. "What took you so long?"

"Long story," she laughed. Then she frowned, eyeing his face, "Are you wearing makeup?"

He smirked, "Long story."

--

"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?" John smiled, standing on the stage.

Viveca frowned at her friend. She'd instated a strict no karaoke policy and informed all of their friends about it. What was John doing?"

"As many of you know, I am John Cena, also known as the Doctor of Love… and I'm here to introduce to you…back for _one night only_, to sing a special song, to a very special married lady..Give it up for Jeff Hardy and the Chair Shots!"

Viveca burst into laughter as Jeff, Hunter, Cory, Jessica, and Randy complete with long brown wig came up onto the stage, all trying to look serious. Unchained Melody began to play and Cory took one look at Randy's dancing and started laughing so hard she nearly had to leave the stage. Jeff started singing to Lorraine, who was standing near the stage, laughing and shaking her head. Viveca shook hers as well, drinking the rest of her champagne.

"Can I get you another?"

She turned, smiling quizzically at Adam. She and Jeff made the decision to invite him but neither of them actually thought he would attend.

"Good show," he nodded to the stage.

"It is," she nodded. "Did you enjoy the ceremony?"

"It was nice," he said, looking away. He looked down at his glass and then back at her face, "As nice as it can be when you're watching someone you love get married."

Viveca scoffed, "Adam..don't go there."

"What? You didn't know?" he asked.

"I loved you too," she said.

He looked surprised and she put up a hand, "I loved you as a friend. The same way that you loved me. You were never _in_ love with me, if you were, you would've tried before I started seeing Jeff. You did what you did because you felt like you lost. You felt challenged."

He smiled wistfully and shrugged, "Maybe you're right."

They stood in awkward silence for a few seconds before he spoke up, "So…is there any hope for us..as friends?"

Viveca wanted to say yes but then she looked up at the stage at her husband. He was sharing a mic with Randy and when he saw her looking, he blew her a kiss and mouthed 'I love you'.

She felt like the luckiest woman in the world to finally be his wife. Because of Adam's jealousy, she'd almost lost Jeff.

She sighed, shaking her head, "I'm sorry Adam..maybe someday but..not anytime soon."

--

"He's been over there too long," Lianna glared a hole in Adam's skull. "We should do something."

Matt laughed, handing Lianna a glass of champagne, "I think we can let V take this one herself. We're off duty for the night."

"Five more minutes and we do something," she said, downing half the glass.

"We'll see," Matt smirked.

She looked over at him, frowning. He'd been at her side for a good portion of the night.

"Don't you have a date you should be getting drunk?"

"I came alone," he shrugged. "You?"

"I had so much to do, I figured there was no point in having a date," she explained.

Matt smiled, "So in other words, nobody asked."

She rolled her eyes, "I will have you know I had a very tempting offer."

Matt looked surprised and Lianna gave him a smug smile.

"An offer from who?" he asked.

"None of your business."

--

"Have I told you how good you look tonight?" John asked.

"A few times, yes," Cory nodded. She heard loud laughter and rolled her eyes when she spied her mother dancing with Jeff's father. "You seem to do it whenever my mother is nearby. Why is that?

For months, John and Cory had done their best to convince everyone, including themselves, that they were just good friends. She aggravated her previously injured shoulder during a match and while she was out of commission, Vince had asked her to do some promotion overseas. She talked to John almost every day, the few days he had off, were usually spent with her. But they were still only friends. At this point, Cory was so afraid to lose him as a friend that she wasn't sure if they'd ever be more. She didn't know what she wanted and he didn't seem to either. But for the past few hours, John had been all over her, but only when Adelle was in earshot.

"Oh is she around?" John looked around.

"You're a bad liar John," Cory smirked. "Why are you flirting with me?"

"Do I need to have a reason?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head. "But I think you do."

"Well isn't this a nice couple?"

"Saved by the bell," she smirked at John as they pulled apart when they heard Vince's voice.

"Mr. McMahon," Cory smiled.

"Please don't call me that," he waved a hand. "You two enjoying the party?"

"Absolutely," John nodded. "You?"

Vince nodded, "It's great to see those two so happy."

They all nodded and then Vince lightly touched Cory's arm, "May I borrow you for just a few minutes?"

"Fine by me," Cory shrugged.

Vince looked at John who shrugged, "As long as you bring her back."

"I'll try to remember that," Vince laughed, leading Cory away.

Cory smiled and waved at a few people as Vince led her to a table where Stephanie was sitting, sipping champagne. Stephanie smiled, standing up and giving her a hug.  
"You look great," Cory smiled at Stephanie.

"Thank you, so do you," Stephanie smiled as they all sat down.

"Cory, I know this may not be the best place to talk business but Steph and I were hoping we could make an exception," Vince explained.

"Sure," Cory shrugged, a little nervous. "What did you want to talk about?"

"First, let me commend you on all the PR work you've been doing," he explained. "Between your work with Make-A-Wish and all the European promo work..you've really done an incredible job representing the company."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Now, with that said, as of this week, you're medically cleared to return to the ring," Vince said.

"And we feel that you're most valuable to us as a performer. You're one of the most talented women we've

ever had and a shot at the women's championship is long overdue for you," Stephanie smiled.

Cory felt her heart flutter a little but she kept her expression reserved, offering a small smile and a nod as she waited for them to continue.

"I think we can all agree that Lisa has done a fantastic job playing the ultimate undefeated heel champ," Vince explained. "And now what we need is a great face to be a viable opponent, someone the people will wholeheartedly root for. We think you're the one to do it."

"Wow," Cory smiled. "I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Now, we have an angle in mind," Vince said. "I stand behind it and I'd like to start as soon as possible. I'm

sure you know we already talked to Mark and he's okay with it but the most important thing is that you're

comfortable."

Cory frowned, confused, "Why would you have to talk to Mark?"

"He didnt tell you anything?" Stephanie looked nervous. She looked away, shaking her head.

Vince took a deep breath before putting his hand over Cory's, "This idea...it has to do with Dawn."

--

"Goodnight Jonah," Paula smiled, walking out of Taylor's room and closing the door. Jonah was sitting at the nurse's station and looked up when he heard Paula's voice. She was a good friend of Taylor's who visited at least once a week. Taylor had quite a few women who'd come to visit her, thanks to the company she worked for but there was something different about Paula. Fiona would laugh at Jonah because he would often be distracted when Paula came in. He couldn't help it. She was beautiful. But she never seemed to pay much attention to him. When she came in it was straight to Taylor's room, not that he could blame her. She was there to see her friend, not talk to some random guy.

"Night Paula," he waved.

"Goodnight Fiona," Paula smiled.

"Nighty night Paula dear," Fiona waved.

Jonah watched the way Paula's hips swayed in her short skirt as she walked down the hall to the elevator.

"Down boy," Fiona laughed standing behind him.

"Ha ha Fiona."

--

Mark looked around, finishing off his beer. He was grateful to have a few minutes to himself. It seemed that he was almost as popular as the bride and groom. Every time he turned around someone was in his face asking how he was doing or what he thought of the wedding. At first he was touched by his friend's concern but now he just wanted to leave. He was happy for Jeff and Viveca, very happy, but a wedding wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. Hard as he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about Dawn. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of wedding she would have planned, how perfect she would have looked. In the time she'd been gone, Mark had his ups and downs. Some nights, he managed to get to sleep pretty easily without being awakened by the sound of her voice or some dream of a madman kidnapping her. And some days he couldn't think about anything else. The past week had been a rough one. There was something weighing on him and he couldn't tell anyone about it yet.

"Mark."

He turned around and when he saw Cory standing behind him, eyes boring a hole through him, he could see things were about to get worse. He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off, "Why would you tell Vince you're okay with this?"

"He picked a fine time to talk to you about it," Mark shook his head.

"Mark, answer the question," she said. "Why would you approve this? What is _wrong_ with you?"

"What's wrong with me is that I would _never_ deny you this opportunity," he said, taking her arm and pulling her aside so he could talk to her without interruption.

She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it, crossing her arms and looking down. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were filled with guilt and she shook her head, "I'm sorry Mark I just..I'm not okay with this. I don't wanna do it."

Mark pulled her into a hug and she rested her head against him. He hugged her close, looking up at the ceiling, knowing that there was something he needed to tell her. He just had to find the words to say it.

"I need to tell you something," he pulled away, keeping his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"What?" she looked up at him.

"Mrs. Psaltis called me about a week ago," Mark began.

Cory's brow furrowed as she waited for him to continue.

He knew that the only way to tell her would be to just spit it out. He looked away, "She wants to have a memorial."

He could hear her breathing stop and he closed his eyes, not ready to look at her yet. They'd only discussed the idea of a memorial once, when they were appearing on Larry King with Mrs. Psaltis. At the time, Dawn's mother said she wouldn't have one until she knew for sure that her daughter was gone. Mark had been shell shocked when she called to say she felt it was time.

"I asked her to let me tell you," Mark explained. "She wants our help. She said that..she said you and I would know what Dawn would want. She wants us to speak."

He could hear that Cory had stopped breathing. He forced himself to look at her and he could see that tears were streaming down her face. She had a hand over her mouth and when he looked at her, she started vigorously shaking her head.

"Cory-"

"No," she finally spoke. "No."  
He took a deep breath, almost regretting asking to be the one to tell her.

"I'm not gonna do that," Cory shook her head. "That's like giving up Mark. That's admitting that.."

She trailed off, looking away.

"Believe me, I understand what you're feeling," he said, holding onto her shoulders again. "But we have to respect her wishes. Dawn's her daughter. This is killing her too."

"I know that I just…" she trailed off again and looked like she was close to completely losing her composure. Mark pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tightly. He hated seeing her upset like this.

"I'm not giving up on Dawn either, Kid," he said. He pulled away, taking her face in his hands and looked her directly in the eye, "You listen to me…wherever Dawn is, I know that she wants you to take the opportunity Vince is giving you. She wants you to be the best, she always has. And I want you to do it. You're not disrespecting her, you're not giving up. You're doing what your best friends need you to do. You're doing what you need to do for yourself, Understand?"

She nodded, "Okay..I'll do it."

--

Viveca opened the door to the bathroom, she needed to check her makeup and she didn't know where Lianna was with her purse. She flipped the light on and jumped when she heard a shriek. Then, she saw two people pulling apart, scrambling to fix their clothes.

"Oh my God!"

"Norah?" Viveca stared at her bridesmaid. She didn't even know Norah had a boyfriend.

Then, the young man turned around and Viveca was the one to shriek this time, "Liam!"

"Vivie?" Liam stared.

"Oh my God!" Viveca exclaimed, shielding her eyes.

"V, just calm do-"

"Liam put your pants back on _now_!" Viveca ordered. He did as he was told and Viveca uncovered her eyes. "Oh my God..Oh my God."

"Viveca I am _so_ sorry," Norah insisted, holding up the top of her dress.

"Excuse us for a second," Viveca said, grabbing her youngest sibling by the ear and dragging him out of the bathroom.

"V," he put his hands up when they finally stopped. "Before you freak out-"

"I asked you _specifically_ not to have sex with anyone in Jeff's family," Viveca whispered angrily.

"It was an accident," Liam smirked.

"Oh you think that's funny, huh?" Viveca smiled.

"A little," Liam nodded.

"I'm telling Mom," Viveca spun on her heels, walking away quickly.

"Vivie, wait!" Liam followed her. "Come on..let's talk about this."

--

Hunter laughed as Jessica detailed the women's dramatic morning. He wasn't surprised at all that Viveca had freaked out the way she did. He'd known her for a long time and she was nothing if not high strung.

"So somehow, her mom calmed her down and the hives cleared up," Jessica said. "It was crazy."

"Sounds like it," Hunter smiled.

"Where's the happy couple?" Jessica asked. "I haven't seen them in a while."

"Me neither," Hunter looked around the room. He didn't spot Viveca or Jeff but he did see Cory. She was at the bar, just as she had been the last time he saw her, only this time she looked a lot more intoxicated. Her eyes and nose were red and she looked like she was having trouble focusing. To make matters worse, Adelle was sitting on the stool next to her, frowning as much as she could. Hunter was sure that conversation wasn't going well and he needed to find some way to help his friend.

"May I cut in?"

Hunter smiled when William approached as if on cue.

Jessica smiled apologetically at William but before she could turn him down, Hunter stepped away, "You guys have fun..I'll be back in a little while."

He didn't have much time to wait for a reaction. He walked quickly, trying his best to avoid knocking anyone over. He took long strides and in a few moments, he was at Cory's side.

"Well how are you lovely ladies doing tonight?" Hunter smiled.

"Oh I'm fantastic," Adelle said. "My daughter unfortunately hasn't learned that it's not in good taste to get _plastered_ at a friend's wedding."

"Mother, if you don't like it, why don't you just go away?" Cory sneered.

"Because someone has to make sure you don't embarrass yourself," Adelle responded. "Or me."

"God forbid I do something to make you look bad," Cory rolled her eyes.

"Oh stop it Cor-"

"Mrs. Rutledge," Hunter put a hand up. "Why don't you let me keep an eye on Cory for a while?"

Adelle looked down at her daughter and then smiled graciously at Hunter, "I suppose if there's anyone I can trust to keep her out of trouble, it's you."

"Absolutely," Hunter nodded.

"I'll be back to check on you," Adelle said. "Try not to drink another bottle while I'm gone."

"Try not to get any botox on your way to the other side of the room," Cory smiled.

"Why don't you just do everyone a favor and go to your room for the night?" Adelle glared.

"Why don't _you_ do _your daughter_ a favor and mind your own business?"

Adelle rolled her eyes before walking away and Hunter rubbed a hand over his face to hide his smile at her comment.

"That was a little harsh," he helped Cory up.

"I cant stand her sometimes," Cory said, standing on shaky legs.

They walked until they reached a quiet spot in the garden. The music from the reception was faint and there was a nice breeze going by. She sat down, putting her head in her hands and he sat beside her.

"So..Is this all about her?" he asked.

She looked up at him and tears began to fill her eyes. She slowly shook her head, sniffing, "No…it's not her."

"What is it?" he asked, concerned.

She looked down and he took one of her hands in his, "You know you can talk to me. What's going on?"

She wiped the tears from her face and took a deep breath, staring out into the night sky, "Dawn's mother wants to have a memorial..She wants Mark and I to help her plan it."

Hunter liked to think of himself as an articulate person but in this instance, he had nothing to say except, "I'm sorry."

"I told Mark I would," she wiped away a fresh set of tears. "But I just…I don't know how I'm gonna get through it."

"You know, I hate to agree with your mother but maybe we should go up to your room," he suggested.

"Considering what happened between us the last time I was this drunk, I think I should head up on my own. But thank you."

"Cory, you know that isn't gonna happen again," he insisted.

"I know I just..I think I wanna be alone right now. "Can you just tell Jeff and V I wasn't feeling well and I'll see them at breakfast tomorrow?"

"You sure you're gonna make it up there alone?" he asked.

She stood up again and her legs nearly gave out on her. Hunter jumped up, catching her before she could fall.

"Okay," she sighed. "Maybe I could use some help."

--

_40 Minutes Later…_

John loosened another button on his shirt as he walked down the hall after getting a very drunk Mark settled in his room. He felt like he'd just spent an hour in the gym. Now, he was on his way to Cory's room. He hadn't seen her since Vince took her away to talk. The rest of the night was spent stuck in conversations with various members of Jeff and Viveca's families, while he looked around for her. When he finally reached the room, he raised his hand to knock but before he could, the door swung open and Hunter walked out. Hunter looked at him and sighed, walking out, closing the door quietly behind him.

John felt his jaw clench. It seemed like they were finding themselves in this position a lot. One of them was with Cory and the other was trying to get in. They were both close to her and there was a part of John that liked knowing that if he and Mark weren't around, she had Hunter to take care of her. But there was another part of him that hated it. He and Hunter had been friends for a while, they never really had any problems but in situations like this, Hunter had a tendency to piss him off. Sometimes he acted like it was a competition, who could get Cory to feel better first.

"Listen, you should just go to your room," Hunter said. "This isn't a good time."

"Why not?" John asked. "What's wrong?"

"She's going to sleep," Hunter explained. "She just threw up a couple times."

"And you think we should just leave her alone?" John tried to walk around him but Hunter blocked him.

"Yeah, I do," Hunter nodded. "She's had a really bad night and she had too much to drink but she threw up, I stayed and made sure she took a shower, put some sweats on, and now she just wants to go to sleep."

"What was so bad about tonight? What happened?"

Hunter shrugged, "If she wants you to know, she'll tell you."

--


	11. Chapter 11

**Don't have a lotta time to talk peeps, I'm kind of on a roll here and I really wanna get another chapter up tonight. Dawn and Savannah don't appear in this chapter but, never fear, they return in chapter 12. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!! I love knowing what you all think. Peace out!**

**Chapter 11...**

_Monday…_

Taylor flipped through the channels, her chin propped up on her hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the calendar, rolling her eyes when she saw that Jonah had circled the 25th in blue marker. Her birthday was coming up. She'd always dreaded her birthday. When she was a little girl, she would hope that somehow, someway on her birthday her father would find it in his heart to just leave her and her mother alone. She was stupid to think that something like a birthday would soften him. Every year, her mother would try to do something nice for her and every year he would ruin it. Her last birthday before his death, he took the cake her mother worked on all day and threw it out the back door. When she cried, he told her she wouldn't live to see another birthday.

She felt her eyes sting but no tears formed. She wasn't sure if she had any left. She'd cried for almost two days straight after having another 'hallucination' as the doctors called it. She was downstairs in the cafeteria having lunch with Jonah and she saw him out the window. She started panicking but when Jonah looked to see who was there, he was gone. Then, she was taken back to her room, given a sedative, and told to get some rest.

She looked up at the TV, making a face when she realized she'd left it on one of those paternity test shows. She wondered what her life would be like if she didn't know who her father was. She wondered who she would be.

"They let you watch this crap in here?"

She jumped when she heard a familiar voice. She turned, smiling when she saw Cory leaning against the doorjamb with two shopping bags. Cory hadn't been able to visit much but she came when she could and she called once a week. She was probably tied with Viveca as the people she talked to _almost_ as much as Chris.

Taylor stood up, trying to smooth the wrinkles out of her sweats. Cory dropped her bags on the floor and rushed over, giving her a hug.

"I didn't know you were coming," Taylor smiled.

"If you knew it wouldn't be a surprise," Cory laughed.

"What's the occasion?" she asked.

"No occasion," Cory shrugged. "We all miss you buddy. Things aren't the same without you around."

"I'm sure they're fine," Taylor laughed.

"Fine, yes," Cory nodded. "But they'll be much better when you get back."

Taylor smiled, shaking her head. She nodded to the bags by the door, "What's all this?"

Cory shrugged, "Presents of course."

* * *

"So Jeff and V are back to work tomorrow, right?" Lianna asked as she tried on shoes.

"Yes," William smiled. "Back to the real world with the rest of us."

"Do you like these?" Lianna extended her leg, showing off a pair of purple strappy shoes.

"No," William shook his head.

Lianna frowned, putting the shoes back in the box.

"Listen..I have something to ask you," he said. "And I only ask because you currently hold the title of best little sister in the free world."

"Ooh, you're brown nosing," Lianna pointed. "You should stop. It doesn't look good on you."

"I just need a tiny favor," William said.

"What?" she started to try on the same shoes in pink.

"I was wondering if maybe you could get some information for me," he said.

"What kind of information?"

"I need to know where Jessica's head is at," he said.

Lianna sighed, putting the shoes down and turning to her brother, "William…you're my brother and I love you. I love all my siblings and you all know I'd do anything for you. But no."

"No?" he asked. "Why not?"

Lianna felt guilty for what she was about to say but someone had to do it.

"Because there's no point," she said. "I don't have to talk to Jess to know where her head is at. William you're friends. You're gonna have to find some way to make that enough because..I'm sorry but, she just doesn't see you in that way."

* * *

"I think that's petty much it," Cory said, putting away her camera. They were sitting in the hospital's garden area and she just finished showing Taylor all of her pictures from the wedding.

"Poor V, I cant believe she broke out in hives," Taylor laughed.

"With the way the day was going, I'm surprised it took so long," Cory laughed. She put the camera bag on the table, "So enough about that…How are things here? How have you been?"

"Well," Taylor sighed, looking down at her hands. "To be honest…I hate it here. I don't feel any different than I did before. I have these..these dreams and I see things that everyone tells me aren't there. And then they just give me drugs and put me in bed."

Cory took Taylor's hand, not knowing what to say.

"Half the time I'm so doped up I don't know what's going on and the other half..I'm miserable. You don't know what I would give to get out of here, just for a little while. But that can only happen if I get a day pass and there's no way they'd give me one."

Cory looked over at the nurses, spotting the one Taylor had told her was her favorite. She smiled, "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'll be right back."

* * *

Sarah stared at the picture of her and Michael, a wistful smile touching her lips. They became friends in fourth grade when they had to be partners for a science project. He really didn't talk to many people and she'd been upset when she was paired with the quiet kid. Then, he invited her to his house to work on it and they talked more on the way home from school than they did any of the years they went to school together. After that, they were inseparable. He was the best friend she ever had and they were at each other's side through good times and bad. Michael was a great person. He was smart and funny. He always knew exactly how to make her smile when she needed it. He could get dark sometimes though. She worried about him so much after she went away. And now, after what happened, she couldn't stop thinking about a conversation they had during their sophomore year…

"_Do you ever wonder how you're gonna die?" Michael asked as he and Sarah walked along the pier._

"_What kind of question is that?" Sarah laughed, shoving her hands in her pockets, shivering against the cold._

"_I don't know," he laughed. "I mean…do you think you're gonna die young? Or of old age or what?"_

"_I don't know," she answered. "I've never thought about it."_

_They walked along in silence for a few minutes, the breeze blew Sarah's hair into Michael's face and she tucked it under her knit cap._

"_I think I'm gonna die young," he stopped walking, his blue eyes focused on the water_

"_Don't say things like that Mike," Sarah said, looping her arm through his. "It's morbid…and creepy."_

"_Very true," he laughed. "I should probably dye my hair black and put on eyeliner before I say this but…I just get this feeling..like…like I'm gonna lose everything really fast. And I'm gonna die by myself."_

"_Look Farisse," she pointed, the tip of her finger close to his nose. "We're besties, friends for life, any other crappy cliché phrase you can think of."_

"_Besties was pretty good," he laughed, rolling his eyes._

"_My point, dear friend," she put her hands on the sides of his face, looking directly into his eyes. "is that we are going to be friends for the rest of our lives…There is no way you're gonna die alone."_

"_You promise?" he smirked._

_She smiled, "I promise."_

She closed her eyes, feeling tears clump her lashes together as she leaned back against the couch. She broke that promise to him. When she went to college, she'd been so busy with all of her classes and trying to get on the school paper, plus her job at a café, she hadn't called Michael as much as she wanted to. She wasn't able to come back and visit the say she said she would. Eventually, when she did find time to call, he was withdrawing from her, and everyone else. Then, he just stopped answering the phone. She should have done something. She should have dropped everything, tracked him down, and made things right. She didn't though. She was too caught up in herself to help her friend. She didn't even know he was dead until she saw a newspaper article while she was doing some research. Without thinking, she packed up what little she had in her one bedroom apartment and begged her boss to get her a job in New Jersey. Recognizing her potential, he called in a few favors, getting her a job as a reporter with The Chronicle. She did a couple fluff pieces to keep her new employers happy but she only had one real focus: finding out what happened to Michael.

* * *

"Jonah, can I talk to you for a quick minute?" Cory asked, smiling at the nurse.

"Sure," he smiled back. "About what?"

"Taylor tells me that you're her go to guy around here," she said, putting her hands in her pockets. "She said you've gotten pretty close."

"She's a good kid," Jonah nodded.

"Yeah she is," Cory nodded. "So that's why I was thinking that maybe you'd find some way to not notice when I bust her out of here in a few minutes."

"What?" he stared at her. "Absolutely not."

"Jonah, she needs to get out of here," Cory said. "Just for a few hours."

"I cant approve that," he shook his head. "The only way that can happen is if she gets a day pass and she's not eligible for one."

"Do you care about Taylor at all?" she asked.

He sighed, nodding.

"And you believe in her, don't you?" she asked. "You believe she can get better and get the hell out of here."

"Yes, I do," Jonah said.

"Then just help her have a day outside this place. It could do her a world of good," she bit her bottom lip, giving him a hopeful look.

"Fine," Jonah sighed. "Just a few hours."

* * *

"That's totally them."

"I give it five minutes before they come over here," Hunter said, looking at the table full of women that were trying not to stare at them.

"You think it's gonna take that long?" Mark asked. "That blonde one is practically bouncing out of her seat."

"Bet that one's the John Cena fan," Hunter smirked.

John was too busy tearing through his sandwich to pay any attention to the conversation.

The three young women stood up, whispering to each other as they made their way across the restaurant.

"Here they come," Mark said.

The blonde was the first one to get to the table and she smiled brightly, standing between Mark and John, "Sorry to bother you. I'm Sherry and these are my friends Leah and Carla. We're really big fans."

"Nice to meet you ladies," John shook hands with each of them. Sherry started to blush a little and Mark stifled a chuckle. Girls really fell all over that guy.

Mark nodded to them and Hunter waved.

"We've got front row seats for the show tonight," Carla smiled. "We cant wait."

"Especially Sherry," Leah laughed, nudging her friend.

"You a big John Cena fan Sherry?" Hunter smirked.

"Definitely," she smiled, looking at John. She smiled apologetically at Mark and Hunter, "I love you guys too I just…" she put her hand on John's shoulder. "Cena's my guy."

John smiled, then looked down at his food somewhat uncomfortably.

"What are you all doing after Raw tonight?" Sherry asked.

"I'm going to bed," Mark answered, finishing off his drink. "I'm old, I need my sleep."

"I've gotta fly right out," Hunter shrugged.

"I uh…" John was about to say something but Sherry's hand had made it's way onto his back and he looked like he was trying to come up with the nicest way to get it off.

"I was just hoping maybe we could meet up," Sherry smiled. "You know, we could show you around."

"All of you?" Hunter smirked.

"Sure," Leah smiled, biting her bottom lip as she smiled at John.

"Why not?" Carla shrugged.

"You know ladies," John smiled. "That's a very nice offer but..I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pass."

"You sure about that?" Sherry asked.

"I am," he nodded. "But uh..stick around after the show, one of the other guys might be interested."

They looked disappointed and a little embarrassed but they said their goodbyes and exited the restaurant.

"That was interesting," Mark laughed.

"You just had three women offer you the night of your life," Hunter said. "I cant believe you said no."

"Just because there's three of them doesn't mean it would be the night of my life," John said. "Honestly, it wouldn't even be something I haven't done before."

"He's in love, he cant just go hopping on a bunch of girls just because Cory's out of town for the night," Mark smirked.

"I am not in love," John laughed, looking down at his food.

"Yes you are," Mark pointed. "You cant even look up when you say you're not."

"If he says he's not, maybe it's true," Hunter shrugged.

"And maybe you're blind," Mark laughed. "Come on now, we all know it. We're just waiting for you to tell her."

"Well you're gonna have to wait a little longer," John looked at his phone and then stood up, "I gotta get goin."

"You going to find Sherry and her friends?" Hunter smirked.

"You wish," John laughed, picking up his keys. "See you guys later."

"Hey, you gonna put any money on the table Cena?" Mark laughed.

"Cant," John smiled. "I was so busy thinking about my love life I forgot my wallet. See you tonight."

Mark laughed as John walked out. He ate some more food and then turned his attention to Hunter.

"Alright…what's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Hunter asked, confused.

"You've been a little weird lately," Mark said. "And you and Cena..you guys were a little tense when we first got here."

"Me and John are fine," Hunter shrugged. "We've always been like that. 80 percent of the time we're friends and 20 we don't like each other."

"Yeah but there's something different going on," Mark said. "You get more intuitive as you get old. Your gut tells you things."

"Your guts telling you to finish your food," Hunter laughed.

Mark put his fork down, giving Hunter a look.

Hunter sighed, looking away. He and Mark had been friends for a long time. Mark wasn't a person you could keep something from. The man knew everything and if he didn't know, he'd make you tell him.

"I uh…I'm interested in someone," Hunter said. "Not Jessica."

"Cory," Mark nodded.

Hunter stared, "You knew?"

"Of course I knew," Mark said. "I just wanted you to say it before I gave you my opinion."

"How'd you know?" Hunter asked.

"You're around her all the time, you avoid Jessie, the tension with Cena…it'd take an idiot not to notice," Mark shrugged.

"Cory and Jessica don't seem to notice," Hunter sighed.

"Jessica doesn't want to see it, she cares a lot about you," Mark said. "And Cory…Cory cares about you too. But Hunter, I'm saying this because I'm your friend, John and Cory-"

"I know, everybody thinks they're perfect for each other," Hunter rolled his eyes.

"I'm not saying god put them on this Earth to be together," Mark said. "But they care a lot about each other. They've got a connection and I don't think anything could happen between you and her..Not right now."

* * *

Taylor sighed as she felt the breeze through her hair as she and Cory sat on the swings. They'd found a park and Taylor couldn't resist the urge to ask Cory to stop there.

"You know, I never really got to go to parks when I was a kid," Cory said, looking around.

"Me neither," Taylor said, somewhat surprised at Cory's admission. "My mom took me when I was really young but when I got old enough to go on my own, my dad told me I couldn't."

"I'm sorry," Cory looked over at her.

Taylor shrugged, "What about you?"

"I don't really know why honestly," Cory shrugged. "When I was a toddler, Gina and I got to go with our stepbrothers as long as we were with a nanny and a bodyguard, or with Ethan when he was in town. Then something happened, I never did know what but all of a sudden my parents wouldn't allow any of us to go. They built a park on our property and told us we could have our friends over whenever we wanted."

Taylor nodded, wondering what that was like. To have parents who would do that for her.

"And I am a complete asshole," Cory winced. "I'm sorry Taylor."

"For what?" Taylor asked.

"Whining about my parents building me my own park," Cory laughed. "Kind of insensitive, don't you think?"

"You're not insensitive. You're my friend," Taylor smiled. "And I'm really glad you came. I needed this day."

"Anytime," Cory reached over, taking her hand. "Although I'm not sure how many times I can bribe that nurse."

* * *

"So…did you get a chance to talk to Norah much during the reception?" Viveca asked as she and Jeff sat on the balcony. She wasn't quite sure how to approach the subject of what she stumbled upon at the wedding.

"Not really," Jeff shook his head. "She called yesterday though."

"Did she?"

Jeff nodded.

"Did she um…did she tell you anything..surprising?"

Jeff laughed, shaking his head, "No. Why?"

"No reason," she shrugged, looking up at the sky. "I was just wondering."

"You're a great wife so far V," he said. "But a bad liar. What's up?"

"She didn't say anything to you about my brother?"

"She said that she really liked your family," Jeff shrugged.

"Damn right she did," Viveca mumbled.

"What?"

"I saw something..at the wedding," she nervously twirled her hair around her finger.

"What?"

"Norah and Liam," Viveca answered. "In the bathroom..having sex."

"What?" Jeff laughed. "Wow."

"Jeff!" she smacked him on the arm. "This is not funny."

"It's not a big deal," Jeff shrugged. "Liam asked if I would mind if he made a move on Norah, I told him it was fine."

"So you pimped out your cousin?" she accused.

"No I didn't _pimp her out_," Jeff laughed. "But they're young and having fun. We all do things like that."

"Screw in the bathroom at your sister's wedding?" Viveca raised a brow. "We all do that?"

"Well I cant, I don't have a sister," Jeff laughed. "Although.._you_ do..Lianna's wedding could be fun."

"Perv," she laughed.

"My point is, they had sex, it's no big deal," Jeff shrugged. "As long as they were safe, I don't mind and neither should you."

"I had no idea you were so casual about sex," she smirked.

He kissed her softly, "I'm not anymore."

* * *

"Those cupcakes were amazing," Taylor said as she and Cory pulled into the parking lot. After the park they went to a bakery and bought a dozen cupcakes, then took the cupcakes with them to the movie theater. Now they were eating the last of the sweets as they arrived back at the facility.

"There's a few left, don't forget them," Cory looked over her shoulder at the box sitting on the backseat.

"Oh I wont, trust me," Taylor laughed.

When Cory parked the car, Taylor looked at her friend, smiling, "I really cant thank you enough for today."

"You really thought I was gonna let you be alone on your birthday?" Cory said as she parked the car. "You must be crazy."

Taylor laughed, shaking her head, "You know, you're the only person who comes here and makes crazy jokes."

"That's because I know you're not too fragile to laugh at them," Cory said sincerely. "Taylor, you're a lot stronger than any of us could imagine. You're gonna get through this. I promise."

"How do you know that?" Taylor asked. She spent many of her days thinking the opposite.

Cory smiled as she opened her door, "I just do."

They both got out and as Cory walked around the front of the SUV, she winced, looking toward the main entrance. Dr. Tanner, Fiona, Jonah, and a security guard were posted at the door.

"Something tells me I'm in trouble," Cory bit her bottom lip.

"Well, no cops, that's good," Taylor shrugged.

Cory shrugged, "Whatever, I'll take a reprimand. It was worth it. You had a good time, right?"

"Right," Taylor nodded. She surprised herself a little, wrapping her arms around Cory tightly. She wasn't big on hugs lately but she'd felt more relaxed in the last few hours than she had in months.

"Thank you again," she smiled.

"Stop thanking me," Cory insisted, hugging her back and then pulling away, brushing Taylor's hair out of her face. "We'll see how bad this punishment is and I'll let you know when we're bustin' out again, okay?"

"Okay," Taylor nodded.

Cory smiled, taking her hand as they walked toward the doors.

"Good to see you made it back," Dr. Tanner said to Taylor as they walked through the front doors.

"Dr. Tanner I-"

"Will be going back to your room now," the doctor cut her off. "Have a good night Taylor."

* * *

Cory watched sadly as the nurses led Taylor away. She hated having to bring her back to this place. The security guard cleared his throat and she smiled, "You know..we have some cupcakes in the truck, you think you can make sure she gets those?"

He didn't say anything to her and she shrugged, "Okay..guess not."

"Ms. Samms, I'm Dr. Preston Tanner," the older man extended his hand. "I've recently been asked to work with Taylor."

"Nice to meet you Dr. Tanner," Cory smiled, shaking his hand. "Listen, I'm aware that what I did is _highly_ inappropriate and I overstepped but-"

"I was informed earlier today, after I learned of your..stunt, that your grandparents are Stephen Caine and Jeanette Spencer," Dr. Tanner said.

Cory frowned, "Well..yes, yes they are. Why does that matter?"

"They donated quite a bit of money when this place was first built. And Mr. Caine is still our most important private donor," he explained. "Because of that, you wont be reprimanded for what you did here today."

"Well, thank you," Cory said, confused.

"I'll forget it completely if you sign an autograph for my daughter," he smiled. "She's a very big fan of yours."

"Absolutely," she smiled when he handed her a piece of paper. She took his pen and asked his daughter's name before signing. "Dr. Tanner, do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"I can find a few," he smiled when she handed him the autograph. "What can I do for you?"

_1 Hour Later…_

"Ms. Samms?"

Cory looked up when Dr. Tanner arrived at the café.

She smiled as he sat across from her. Before they could talk earlier he was called away so they agreed to meet in an hour.

"Thank you so much for meeting with me," Cory smiled. "I have some questions."

"I figured as much," he nodded.

"As you know, Taylor has been in the hospital for quite some time," Cory said. "And, forgive me again for overstepping, but..I'd just like to know why she isn't well enough to leave yet."

"You do understand that I cant discuss Taylor's treatment with you, correct?" he folded his hands on the table.

"I understand that," she said. "But I also understand that you have an obligation to call the police if a person takes one of your patients out of your facility without authorization. But you didn't do that."

It wasn't often that Cory used her family's money to get her way but this time she was willing.

He nodded.

"I just want to have a better understanding of what my friend is going through," she explained.

Dr. Tanner sighed, "I believe that Taylor suffers from Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

Cory nodded, she'd heard of PTSD before in soldiers returning from war.

"She seemed so good today," Cory said.

"She seems at ease with you," the doctor said. "But you should know that Taylor's disorder is very serious and she's still here because she's still considered a danger to herself. Her condition is a result of years of mental and physical abuse and repeated traumatic events."

Cory shook her head, feeling so bad for Taylor.

"CPTSD can have a wide range of symptoms and behaviors," he said. "Taylor suffers from hallucinations, memory loss, fits of anger, deep depression, you name it. She's tried to harm herself more than once and I worry that she may try again. I think that she would benefit from group, exposure, and cognitive therapy sessions-"

"And she's not getting any of that?" she asked.

"Currently she's getting medication, a little too much in my opinion," he said. "And private counseling sessions when she's well enough but that's it. I'm not sure how much more the hospital will allow at this point considering how much it will cost. I'm a specialist, I've just been asked in for a brief consultation. I'm afraid I cant be much help to Taylor without running her bills through the roof."

She was about to say something but he cut her off, "Before you ask..your grandfather's money is intended to help everyone here..not just a friend of yours."

"Fine, then don't use it," she said. "Use mine."

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Well I'd give you a blank check but I don't really know you that well," she said, pulling out her cell phone and a pen. She found the number she needed and wrote it on a napkin. "This is the phone number for my accountant. Call him and tell him how much you need. Payments, lump sum, whatever is easier for you. I'm taking over her hospital bills so there isn't any reason to worry about money. If you're a specialist and you think you can help then I want you to be her doctor."

"Are you sure about this Ms. Samms?" he asked.

She didn't have to think for a second. She nodded, "Taylor is my friend and she needs help. And you, Dr. Tanner, are going to do everything you can to get her better so she can go home. Okay?"

He nodded, putting the phone number in his pocket, "Okay."

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

**Peeps!! This is a very important chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it. I'll get to work on the next one as soon as i can. Oh and a quick note, in the last chapter, i mentioned that Taylor's birthday was coming up but then made the mistake of having Cory say she wouldn't leave Taylor alone on her birthday. It is not actually Taylor's birthday in chapter 11, it's near the beginning of November. Cory comes to visit because she isn't sure she can make it on Taylor's actual b-day. Sorry for any confusion!**

**As always, read, enjoy, & please review!!**

**Chapter 12...**

_**Tuesday…**_

Dawn groaned, the pain in her head getting worse and worse. She'd had a migraine for days and it showed no signs of going away. She looked up at the ceiling, taking deep breaths. The light was bothering her but, of course, she couldn't turn it off. Before Savannah left, she'd strapped her to the headboard again. Every day, Dawn woke up, hoping that this was some horrible dream. There wasn't any way that this crazy person had really held her captive for all this time. This was some horrible nightmare and any minute, she was going to wake up at home and she would come to her senses and call Mark and tell him she loved him. Then, Savannah would come in and reality set in. Savannah wanted her baby, and she was going to keep her there until she gave birth. And then…she couldn't think about what would happen after that. She tensed when she heard the doorknob turn.

"It's just me."

She felt herself relax when she heard his voice. The man she'd come to know as Jim. It was strange to her that she'd developed what could almost be called a bond with this man. He was helping Savannah keep her there but when he told her that he was a hostage too, she believed him. She'd tried to get him to tell her what Savannah held over his head but he wouldn't but somehow she just knew that he wasn't lying to her. It was probably just some form of Stockholm syndrome but having a little contact with someone who didn't want to murder her was one of the only things keeping her sane.

"You don't look too good," he frowned, walking to her with a bottle of water.

"How good would you look if you were in my position?" Dawn glared at him.

"Bad choice of words," he winced. He held up a small cup of vitamins, "You need to take these."

She opened her mouth and he gave her the pills followed by a few sips of water.

"Can you turn the light off?" she asked, squinting against the offensive brightness. "My head is killing me."

He flipped the switch, leaning against the wall beside it, "Baby still kicking like crazy?"

"Not today," she answered. "Cant blame the kid for kicking. We all just wanna get out of here, right?"

She shifted, trying to get comfortable. She hadn't been feeling well so she'd been laying down a lot and her back was killing her from all the pressure. She winced when the leather strap holding her wrist rubbed a sore spot.

"Jim," she looked up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Can you loosen these, please?"

"Dawn you know I can't-"

"Where am I gonna go?" she asked. "I feel like I'm 50 months pregnant, my head is gonna explode and my legs are like jelly. I'm not asking you to free me, just help me get a tiny bit more comfortable."

"Alright," he said, loosening the strap on each wrist.

They both jumped when the front door slammed. Dawn felt the same chill she felt down her spine every time she heard Savannah come back.

"I'll go keep her busy for a while," Jim said. "You get some rest."

* * *

Cory walked down the hall, dragging her bags behind her, praying she'd be able to get a long nap in before she had to head to the Pepsi Center. She hadn't slept much the night before. After her meeting of sorts with Dr. Tanner, she went to see her brother EJ, who was overseeing some renovations at the family's estate. He insisted that they go out to eat and catch up and that lasted a few hours. By the time she got back to her hotel, it was after 11 and she was still wide awake. She couldn't find anything to do and somehow came upon the decision to try and write her speech for the memorial. She wrote about two sentences before she burst into tears and spent the rest of the night crying. Then, the sun rose, she showered, got dressed, and paid a quick visit to Taylor before heading to the airport. She looked at the signs on the wall, rounding the corner towards her room. To her surprise, as she approached her door, she found John, poised to knock. She hadn't talked to him at all since the wedding.  
"Well hello stranger," she smiled.  
He turned, smiling and waving the hand he was about to knock with.  
"I thought you were already here," he scratched his head sheepishly.  
"I can see that," she smiled. "What are you doing here?"

* * *

"I uh..I just wanted to talk to you. See how you're doing," he shrugged. "I heard you had a pretty bad night after the wedding. I was kind of wondering why you didn't call or anything."  
John felt like an idiot saying that but it was the truth. It had been bugging him for days. They were close, extremely close, but she'd talked to Hunter about whatever was going on and not him.  
"I asked Hunter to get you that night," she said, pulling her room key out of the envelope the hotel gave her. "But then, he never came back and I figured he couldn't find you. I was gonna call but then I sorta passed out."  
John barely heard a word she said after 'I asked Hunter to get you'. He ran into Hunter three steps outside her door and he hadn't uttered a word about her wanting to see him, "You asked him to come get me?"  
"Just before I started throwing up all the booze I drank," she said, looking embarrassed. "And a few times after that."  
John felt his shoulders get tense but he tried to ignore it. He would have to confront Hunter later.  
"Well," he smiled. "I'm here now...You wanna talk about it?"  
She smiled opening the door to her room, "Yeah, I'd like that."

* * *

Savannah paced back and forth at the foot of the bed, looking up at the ceiling. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. It was like Dawn was doing this on purpose to punish her. She had to do something. She was so close, all she needed was for Dawn to have the god damn baby. But no. Dawn just couldn't give her the satisfaction. She was just laying there, sleeping like she didn't have a care in the world. Well Savannah wasn't going to let that happen. As she approached the bed, Dawn groaned, moving around in her sleep. As she stretched, her right wrist slipped out of it's strap and Savannah saw red.

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Savannah's voice startled Dawn awake.  
Dawn blinked against the light, her head still pounding, "What are you talking about?"  
"This," Savannah's hand gripped her wrist, yanking her arm upward. Her migraine was making everything so hazy, Dawn hadn't even realized that she was no longer bound.  
"Dawn, Dawn, Dawn," Savannah smiled that eerie smile. Dawn was most afraid of her when there was a smile on her face. "How many times do I have to tell you before you get it?"  
Savannah walked closer, then leaned against the dresser, "You are not going to get out of here. Especially not while you're still carrying my baby.  
Dawn cringed internally, almost more at the thought of Savannah claiming her baby than her own life being threatened.  
"I've tried really hard to be nice to you but..." She picked up a knife Jim left on the dresser earlier when he brought her some food. Dawn could feel her breathing quicken.  
"I don't know any other way to make sure you never try this again," Savannah moved closer.  
"I wasn't-"  
"Shut up!" Savannah snapped.  
Then, her expression turned thoughtful. "You know, I heard somewhere that the shock of pain can make you go into labor."  
She held up Dawn's hand.  
"Savannah please," Dawn quivered as her unstable captor dragged the tip of the blade across her palm. "Please don't-"  
"Shh," Savannah put a finger over her own lips. "It's too late for that now. You have to learn a lesson."  
Dawn opened her mouth to plead again but a scream was all that escaped her as the knife blade dug into her hand.

* * *

Glenn paced as the phone rang again. he'd tried to call his wife three times and she wasn't answering the phone. He couldn't take this kind of stress so close to her due date. He hated not being able to stay home with her but she insisted that he keep working since Vince was giving him a pretty good push. She kept telling him how she wanted what was best for him. That selflessness was part of what made him love her so much.  
"Hello?" she answered, sounding out of breath.  
"Jacinda?" he released the breath he'd been holding. "I've been trying to call you for an hour."  
"You have?" she sounded surprised. "The phone didn't ring. You must be in an area with a bad signal."  
"Maybe," he said, a little confused. "Are you alright? You sound like you just ran a marathon."  
"I'm fine," she said. "I just rushed to get the phone. Carrying all this weight around isn't easy."  
"Well it wont be long before all that weight is our brand new baby," he smiled.  
"I know," she giggled. "God, I cant wait."  
"Neither can I," he said, still amazed at his impending fatherhood.  
"Listen, honey, I've gotta go, I have to take a shower before I go to the doctor."  
"Does your doctor think your husband is an asshole for never coming to your visits with you?" he asked.  
"He did at first but I've assured him that you're the best husband in the world," she answered.  
"Good," he laughed. "I love you. I'll see you soon."  
"I love you too."

* * *

"I cant believe you snuck Taylor out of the hospital," John laughed, shaking his head. He and Cory were laying on her bed and she'd just recounted the last few days with him, starting with Vince's offer at the wedding, Mark telling her about the memorial, and finally, her trip to Detroit.  
"I had to," she said enthusiastically, rolling over onto her stomach. "John you should have seen her. She's getting so skinny and she had these dark circles around her eyes like she hasn't slept since she's been there. And when she told me how they were treating her I just...I don't know, I had to do something."  
She looked at him with inquisitive blue eyes, "Do you think I'm an idiot?"  
John shook his head. He didn't know many people that would do what she did for another person, "I don't think you're an idiot. I think you're a great person. And a very good, sort of crazy, friend."  
"Thanks," she laughed, rolling her eyes.  
It was nice getting to talk to her again after the confusion he'd felt for days. He still wanted to call Hunter out for what he did but he didn't want to think about it at the moment. He did, however, want to think about how much she wanted him there.  
"So..." he looked up at her. "Why exactly did you ask Hunter to come get me after the wedding?"  
"Well," she said, looking down at her hands and then over at him, "If I'd told you about all this that night...what would you have said?"  
"That you're gonna get through all of it," he said. "And you're tougher than you think. You should do the angle, it's a great opportunity that you've worked your ass of to get, and you're gonna make D proud. And you're gonna get through the memorial too. I'll be right there with you to make sure of that."  
She smiled softly at him, "And that's why I asked Hunter to get you. Because I always know that you'll know what to say or do to keep me from breaking down. Or if I do break down, you'll help me get through it."  
John smiled, not sure what to say. Sometimes it still shocked him when she said such nice things about him.  
"Besides, I like having you around Cena," she nudged him in the side.  
"Good," he laughed. "I like being around. I hope I can be for a long time," he said sincerely.  
"I know you will," she winked.  
"Oh yeah?" he smirked. "And how do you know that?"  
"Well..." she sighed. "When I was little and I would complain about how I couldn't stand my mother, my gram would always tell me that you're born into your family so you're pretty much stuck with them, like it or not. But there are certain people that come into your life that you just know are supposed to be there. I would never have believed this when I first met you but now...you're one of those people for me."  
She was definitely one of those people for him. He couldn't really imagine not having her around.  
A slight blush crept up her cheeks and he could tell that she was feeling a little awkward about what she said. For some reason, at that moment, he wanted to kiss her more than he ever had.  
He was trying to decide if he should just do it or respond to what she said first when someone banged on the door.  
She laughed a little, sitting up, "Who is it?"  
John didn't care who it was. Whoever was at the door deserved a swift kick in the balls.  
"It's me Kid," Mark's voice sounded through the door. "Come on, we're supposed to meet Jessie for some food."  
Cory looked down at John shrugging, "You wanna go?"  
John sighed, looking up at the ceiling, "Sure, why not?"

* * *

Carter watched her as she thanked the hostess, sliding into the booth alone. There was still some snow clinging to her dark hair and she pulled something out of her bag, pulling it up into a ponytail.  
_Jessica Farrell.  
_Fortunately for her, she didn't look a thing like her mother. Carter never did like Brenda. She always looked like a hooker and smelled like smoke. She would have screwed anything that moved but she always whined to Frank about how much she loved him. She would go back and forth, telling Frank she wanted him to be a father to Jessica and then telling him never to come near her. The bitch was crazy. And then, when she became friends with Adelle, things changed completely. She took Adelle's lead, telling Frank he would never see Jessica again and that he wasn't fit to be a father. It tore Frank up that he couldn't see his children. Those little bitches and their mothers were his downfall. And now Carter would be theirs.

* * *

_Later that night…_

"Cory!"  
"What?" Cory was startled by her sister's voice. She was watching John on the monitor, cutting a promo on Paul Wight.  
"Did you ask me to come in here so I could watch you ogle John?" Jessica smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"I was not ogling him," Cory insisted. "And no, that's not why I needed to talk to you."  
"Then what do you need little sister?" Jessica sat beside her.  
"Well...I'm gonna do something tonight that I'm quite frankly a little scared to do," Cory said. "And I need a little big sisterly reassurance."  
"What are you gonna do?" Jessica asked, though she had a feeling she knew what was coming. If it had to do with Cory and John, Jessica was over the moon.  
"Earlier today I kinda sorta told John how I feel," Cory said, wringing her hands.  
"What?" Jessica stared. "And you two didn't say anything at the diner.  
"Calm down, I said _kinda sorta_," Cory laughed. "It was sort of a _precursor_ to the big reveal. I mean, Mark got there before either of us could say anything else."  
"And tonight you're gonna tell him..." Jessica motioned for her to continue.  
"I guess I'm gonna tell him that.." Cory took a deep breath, running her hands through her hair. "I'm gonna tell him that I want us to be more than what we are. I wanna take a shot at the whole relationship thing."  
"You're so eloquent for someone with a private school education," Jessica smirked.  
"Jessie, I'm nervous," Cory smacked her sister on the leg. "You know how inarticulate I get."  
"I know," Jessica laughed, putting her arm around her shoulders. Cory rested her head on her shoulder.  
"Cory, you don't have any reason to be nervous," Jessica rested her head atop her sibling's. "John loves you. It's common knowledge. I don't know how he's made it this long without telling you. Trust me, the reaction you get will be better than you could've hoped."  
"But before..he said that he wanted us to be friends and he didn't wanna take advantage of me with all the drama going on. What if he still feels that way?" Cory asked.  
"Then you just have to convince him that you're ready for this," Jessica said. "I'm sure you can handle it."

* * *

Sarah pulled her car into the lot of the Central Regional Laboratory in West Trenton.

She turned off the lights and pulled her purse onto her shoulder. She picked up her cell phone, stopping when she saw the time. 9:15.

"Shit," spat, running a hand through her hair. When she called earlier, she was told Owen left at 9. She knew she should have left earlier. She just didn't expect there to be that much traffic. She got out of the car, closing and locking the door, hoping that he was running late.

"Here goes."

* * *

_Smackdown…_

"This is really getting ridiculous," Victoria said in a clip from Raw on Monday. She was standing in the middle of the ring after beating Christy Hemme in a quick match. "There is _no woman_ in this business that can beat me. I mean really, Trish Stratus, Jazz, Molly Holly, Jackie, Gail Kim..the list goes on and on. I have beaten every one of them. Beaten is an understatement really, I have torn them all apart. I don't have any competition here. I'm getting bored. Hell, somebody go get Dawn Marie and I'll beat her too."

The crowd booed and a few fans even threw things into the ring while Victoria just shrugged.

"I need some competition," Victoria insisted.

After that, an independent wrestler from the area came out and was completely squashed by the women's champion.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to WWE Smackdown," Michael Cole said enthusiastically as the show came back after the recap of Victoria's antics from Raw. "Vince McMahon announced earlier today that Victoria would be fined for the comments she made regarding Dawn Marie on Raw."

"Good," Taz said. "You know, I like Victoria and all but..she went too far. Way too far."

"I agree Taz," Michael said as Torrie Wilson made her way to the ring.

Then, Victoria's music began and the crowd heckled her viciously as the Women's Champion made her way to the ring.

Victoria reveled in the crowd reaction as she climbed into the ring and handed her belt over to the referee.

_10 Minutes Later…_

Victoria hit another Widows Peak before standing up and laughing at an unconscious Torrie Wilson. The match was already over but she'd continued to beat the other diva after the bell rang.

"This is just wrong," Taz shook his head.

"What is _wrong_ with her?" Michael asked as Victoria nudged Torrie out of the ring with her foot before snatching a microphone from the ring announcer.

"Do you people see what I mean?" Victoria asked. "All I'm asking for is somebody worth my time. I'm getting sick of these _inferior_ women night after night. This is just too easy."

The crowd suddenly went nuts as someone came over the security barricade.

"Oh my God!" Taz exclaimed as the camera panned out to reveal the person standing behind Victoria. Cory Flair stood behind her, arms crossed, glaring a hole through the champion.

"What is Cory doing here?" Michael asked.

"I think we're about to get our answer Cole," Taz said as Cory picked up the chair the referee had taken away from Victoria earlier. Victoria continued her promo, "I'll take on one of you people if you think you can take it."

Cory made her presence known, tapping Victoria on the shoulder. The champion turned around and Cory reared back with the chair, cracking it hard over her head as the crowd roared in approval. Cory dropped the chair, kneeling beside Victoria and picking up the mic. She grabbed the other woman's hair and pulled her face up, "You wanted competition bitch? You got it."

* * *

"So then he grabs you, you slap him, he turns around and i give him the Unprettier," Jason explained. He and Lianna were discussing the plans for the Smackdown taping. He was set to have a confrontation with JBL and, as she had been for months, Lianna would be at his side. In just a few months, Lianna had become pretty popular with the fans. She started out as personal assistant to Eric Bischoff but after a few skits involving Lianna, Jason, and Eric, Vince liked their chemistry so much that he started an angle that culminated in Lianna becoming Christian's girlfriend and quitting her job with Bischoff. At first, Jason wasn't terribly fond of the idea but after hanging out with Lianna a few times, he didn't mind so much. One of his biggest fears was that Christian fans wouldn't like her and would, in turn, start to dislike him but he soon found that Lianna was incredibly funny. They came up with a lot of good stuff together and the fans seemed to love it.  
"Sounds good to me," Lianna smiled. "Any day that I get to slap John is a happy day."  
"Don't mind him," Jason laughed. "I think he's mean to you because he's got a little crush on you."  
"That doesn't make me want to slap him any less," Lianna frowned. "Now I just wanna slap you."  
"You're such a violent little person," Jason laughed, patting the top of her head.  
"Oh yeah, calling me a little person is gonna bring the level of hostility down," she smirked.  
"So listen...I went out for drinks with your brother last night," Jason changed the subject. "And he said you told him he has no chance with Jessica. A little harsh, don't you think?"  
"I know, I know, I feel bad about it," she sighed, shaking her head. "But Jay, come on, you see how Jessica is with Hunter, everybody does. I just think William's gonna get hurt if he keeps trying."  
"Probably but if he cant see it, then maybe he needs to get hurt a little," Jason shrugged.  
"Maybe," Lianna shrugged. "I can't spend too much more time worrying about my siblings' love lives. I have one of my own to worry about."  
"Oh yeah?" Jason smirked. "Anything I should know?"  
"Just that I have a date tomorrow night," Lianna smiled.  
"With who?" Jason asked.  
"None of your business."  


* * *

Sarah walked into the building and saw a very pretty, older African American woman standing behind a desk.

"Excuse me," she said softly, walking up to the desk. "Would it be possible for me to see Owen Wagner?"

"Mr. Wagner," the woman raised an eyebrow. She smiled, "Well it's about time."

"I'm sorry?" Sarah stared at her, confused.

"Forgive me dear, it's just a relief to me to finally see a pretty girl coming in to see Owen," the woman smirked. "My name's Yvonne."

"I'm Sarah," Sarah shook her hand. "Sarah Chadwick."

"Well Sarah, Mr. Wagner is talking to a few detectives right now and technically, you shouldn't be here at this time of night," Yvonne informed her.

Sarah started wringing her hands.

"But you're more than welcome to wait," Yvonne smiled. "Have a seat."

"Thank you so much," Sarah smiled, walking over to the chairs in the front of the lab near the windows. She stopped, turning back, "Umm…Yvonne?"

"Yes?" Yvonne looked up from what she was doing.

"Could you…could you tell me about Mr. Wagner?"

"Depends," Yvonne said, standing up and walking over to her. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything you're willing to tell me," Sarah smiled.

"Alright then," Yvonne sat in one of the chairs, gesturing for Sarah to do the same. "Owen's worked here for about…Oh I'd say seven years now," Yvonne said. "We have 5 sections here. Drugs, Toxicology, General Chem, Biology, and DNA. Owen started off as a DNA tech when he was in school. Then once he finished school he worked here as one of our DNA Scientists. He was working under Dr. Grier. About 4 months ago, Dr. Grier got promoted to the Biology Manager so basically he oversees everything with Bio and DNA and Owen got bumped up to Section Leader DNA, which really pissed off some fellow scientists but that's another story…anyway, then _three_ months ago, our Bio section manager up and died on us and since then Owen's been not only the DNA Section manager but he's also the acting Bio Section Manager."

"Wow," Sarah nodded.

Yvonne smiled, "Oh and he's 28, tall, handsome and _very_ single."

* * *

Dawn tried to keep her breathing steady. The pain was blinding. She could feel blood running over her hand and down her arm. She felt like she was going insane. She was hot and sweaty and every second it seemed harder to breathe. She wasn't sure what was happening, if she was having a panic attack or what. Then, she felt a pain in her stomach like she'd never felt before.

"No," she whispered. "No, no, no, no, not now."

* * *

Chris walked into women's locker room, tapping his knuckle on the wall to get Cory's attention. She was the only one in the room, brushing through her hair. He'd been looking for her after getting a call from Jonah, explaining her visit to Taylor and her decision to take over Taylor's hospital bills. It was amazing to him that she was doing all this, without having any knowledge that the person she was helping was, in fact, her sister. He felt guilty for keeping the information from them but he just wasn't sure how to go about telling the people involved. Not yet. He did have to thank his friend though. Someone had to.  
"Hey," she smiled, walking up and giving him a hug. "What's up?"  
"I just talked to Jonah," he explained. "He told me about you getting Dr. Tanner on Taylor's case and footing all the bills. I just..I wanna thank you."  
"Don't," she smiled. "I'm not doing it for thanks. I just want Taylor to have the best treatment possible so she can get better and then you two can be all in love and get married and all that."  
"Ha ha," he rolled his eyes. "Really Cory, it's just nice to know that someone else cares as much as I do."  
"Well I do," she smiled. "Now tell me, how've you been? We work together and I feel like I haven't talked to you in years."  
Chris gave her an apologetic smile. He knew a lot of his friends felt the same way. He really didn't have much time to spend with them because almost all of his off days were spent going to Detroit to take care of Taylor.  
"How've you been?" Cory asked.  
"Stressed," Chris admitted. "Very stressed."  
"Well, friend," she took his hands. "I think it might help if somebody tells you that you cant take the whole world on your shoulders. I cant imagine the toll all of this with Taylor is taking on you but you need to keep in mind that you have friends who love you and if you need anything, we're all here for you."  
Chris thought about how Dawn and Viveca helped him get Taylor a job, and how Cory and John flew to Chicago with him to search for Taylor when she left. There were countless other times that his friends had been there for him and maybe it was time that he told someone what was going on. He just wasn't sure who.  
"I appreciate that," he squeezed her hands. "Now how have you been? Congratulations on the bad ass comeback by the way."  
"Liked that did you?" she smiled. "Thank you. And aside from the man trouble and the death threats, I've been fine."  
"Death threats?" Chris stared.  
"I've gotten a couple creepy gifts," she shrugged. "Defaced pictures and Barbie dolls, shit like that. It's probably just some freak that thinks this is funny. It doesn't happen too often so I try to just let it go. Believe me, the man trouble is much more taxing."  
"Hey Cory, Viveca's looking for you," John leaned into the room. He smiled, "What's up Chris?"  
Chris nodded at his friend but he was distracted, thinking about the gifts Cory was getting. He couldn't help but wonder if that had anything to do with what was happening to Taylor.  
"I'll tell you all about that stuff later," Cory said. "Let's go to breakfast tomorrow. I'll get a group together."  
"Okay," Chris nodded absently before she left the room. Chris walked quickly back to the men's locker room and pulled out his cell phone. He needed to work harder to figure out what was happening with Taylor before she, or anyone else they knew, got hurt. And he had an idea where to start.  
He dialed Paula's number and waited.  
"Hey Chris, what's up?" she answered.  
"Do you think you can arrange a meeting for me with your father?"  
"My dad?" Paula sounded confused. "Why?"  
"Because I need to hear what he knows firsthand."

* * *

_Smackdown…_

Jessica Dudley slapped the ring apron as Batista gave Ric Flair a spine buster.

"Do you think Jessica's set a record yet for how many different men she's been with in the WWE?" Michael Cole asked. She and Batista had turned on Ric Flair two weeks earlier, the night that she was set to marry the Nature Boy on Raw.

"I'm not sure it's a record," Taz laughed. "But I know it's a lot."

The crowd jeered as Batista maintained the upper hand and Jessica beamed from the floor. Then, the crowd's reaction began to change. They started cheering loudly.

"What now?" Michael asked.

The camera cut to the ramp and a flash of red hair coming toward the ring.

"It's Lita!" Michael Cole yelled as Lita grabbed Jessica's hair from behind, causing Jessica to cry out in pain. Lita slammed Jessica's face onto the ring apron before yanking her backward, causing her to hit the back of her head on the floor.

"We haven't seen Lita in over a year," Michael said.

"We haven't seen Lita since Jessica Dudley took her out of action," elaborated as the returning diva jumped on top of a still reeling Jessica and started pummeling her with rights and left. The referee was distracted by the brawling women, giving Ric Flair the opportunity to hit Batista with a thumb to the eye, a low blow, and a chop block. Then, he locked in the figure four. The referee looked back just in time to see Batista tap. As the timekeeper rang the bell, referees and security raced to the ring to separate Lita and Jessica who had their hands firmly tangled in each other's hair.

"Well this has certainly been a night of surprises."

* * *

"I am so glad you're finally here!" Cory exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Amy. After having neck surgery, Amy had been out of action and off the road for 15 months.

"I know," Amy laughed, hugging her friend back. She and Cory worked together in ECW for a short time and remained good friends. They didn't get too many chances to talk but they met up whenever they could.

"You look fantastic," Cory stepped back.

"Time off will do that to you," Amy smiled. "God it is so good to be back here."

"Good to have you back," Jessica walked up, hugging the redhead. "We all need to go out tonight. After you beat me up, I could use a drink."

"That would be awesome," Amy laughed. "Now before we start boozing, there's someone that I really need to see."

"Who's that?" Cory asked.

Amy looked around, scanning the familiar faces, production workers, camera crew, a few security guards, some wrestlers. Then, she saw who she was looking for, blue and black hair and all.

"Him."

* * *

"I am a lucky man," Jeff smiled as his wife walked toward him in a very short red and white dress and heels.

"Damn right you are," she smiled standing on her toes to give him a kiss. "Have you seen Adam? We're up in 10 minutes."

"Yeah, he was doing his hair last time I saw him," Jeff shrugged. "He might be a while."

Viveca laughed, shaking her head, "Sounds like Adam."

"Listen, I was thinking-"

"Jeff!"

Jeff stopped when he heard the voice.

He turned around and before he knew it, Amy's arms were wrapped around him.

"Hey Amy," he said uncomfortably, patting her on the back.

"God I missed you so much."

Viveca cleared her throat and Amy squeezed him tightly again before pulling away, her hands still on his arms. She cast a quick glance in Viveca's direction, "Oh hey V..I didn't see you there."

* * *

Owen walked into the reception area to tell Yvonne to go home. As the front desk manager, she was free to go at 6 but she always stayed as late as he did and she had a family to go home to. He stopped when he saw Yvonne sitting in the waiting area. He'd never seen the woman with her before. She was pretty with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her warm, brown eyes were focused as she listened to Yvonne talk.

He walked over to them, "Ladies."

* * *

Sarah looked up at Owen and momentarily forgot how to speak. Yvonne had been right on the money when she'd described him as tall and handsome. He looked to be a little over 6 foot with piercing gray eyes and brown hair that fell into his eyes a little. His chiseled face had a little stubble and he smelled good even from a few feet away. He was wearing a light blue, button down shirt and black pants under a white lab coat.

"Owen," Yvonne stood up. "This is Sarah Chadwick.

* * *

"She's here to see you. She seems very smart and she's _adorable_, don't mess it up," Yvonne whispered in Owen's ear before waving at Sarah and going back to her desk.

"I'll try not to," Owen smiled. He gestured for Ms. Chadwick to follow him.

"I called yesterday but you were busy," she said as they entered the lab.

"I'm sorry," he said, turning on the light. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm not gonna beat around the bush. I need your help."

"My help?" he repeated, putting some samples in one of the room's 10 refrigerators.

"Yes," she said, following him. "It's about Michael Farisse."

Owen stopped when he heard the name. He hadn't heard it in a while. He turned to look at her, "What about him?"

"It's my understanding that you and Dr. Stephen Grier handled all the forensics from his case," she said.

"We did," he nodded, going back to what he was doing.

"It's also my understanding that Michael's case is still unsolved," she said.

"It is," Owen nodded, his back to her as he searched for a file.

"And I learned from a very reliable source that you didn't want the case to be dropped," Sarah said. "You were looking into it on your own."

Owen rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for reporters. In his line of work, he saw quite a few of them and he'd never been particularly fond of any of them.

"I dropped it after a few weeks," Owen shrugged. "The police ruled it a suicide. It was overturned but they stopped looking into it. They're still convinced he killed himself."

"But.." she gestured for him to continue.

"I didn't say 'but'," he shrugged.

"I sensed it," she shrugged, smiling.

She was cocky. Strike two.

"But," he sighed. "I'm not quite sure if they were right….why are you asking about the Farisse case?"

"Because I don't think they were right either," Sarah said. "And you may be the only person who agrees with me."

She was right, Owen had never believed that the Farisse case was a suicide but Grier, and eventually the police, had ordered him to let it go.

"Ms. Chadwick," he turned to her. "The Farisse case is closed."

"But if you know something, if you had some sort of lead, why not go with it? That seems..irresponsible."

Owen frowned, "Why should I help some reporter who, I'm assuming, is just using this case as a stepping stone to get her career off the ground?"

He could see her grow tense as she crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't know. Why would you wanna help a reporter who's best friend was killed and no one seems to know why?"

"I'm sorry," Owen said, feeling like an ass.

"Didn't _assume_ I knew Michael?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"No," he shook his head. "I didn't."

"Well I did," she said. "And I want to know why he was killed."

"_If_ he was killed, what makes you think I can help?" he asked, taking off his lab coat.

"I told you," she said. "I know you were looking into the case on your own. I don't believe you would've done that if you didn't have anything to go on…And ordinarily, forensics guys don't take _that_ much interest in a case unless they feel very strongly about it."

Owen rolled up his sleeves, turning away, unable to think of anything to say to her. He felt strongly about the case when it happened. He still did. He'd felt the same way about the Dawn Marie case. But he couldn't go against his orders, he could lose his job.

"I guess I just figured that if I came to you I was coming to someone who cared about finding who killed Michael," Sarah said. "I didn't wanna go to the police because they don't think of Michael as a person. They think of him as a case. A statistic. I didn't think you would….Silly me."

Her voice cracked with her last words and Owen could hear her walk out of the lab.

He raked his hands through his hair, "God damn it."

He ran out of the lab and to Yvonne's desk, before he said anything, she pointed out the door and he went outside.

He looked out into the parking lot. She couldn't have left that fast.

"Mr. Wagner."

He turned to see her leaning against the wall, a satisfied smirk on her face.

She was good. She had known what she said would get to him.

"So you'll help me?" she smiled eagerly.

"Yes," he nodded, not believing what he was saying. "I'll help you."

* * *

"So I'll see you guys tonight, right?" Jessica asked as she walked out to her rental with John, Cory, and Amy.

"I don't remember being invited to the party?" John smirked, his arm around Cory's shoulders.

"You weren't," Amy laughed. "No boys allowed."

"Sorry John, it's not that we don't all adore you," Jessica smirked. She winked at Cory, "Some more than others."

"Oh stop Jessie," Cory made a face at her sister as John opened the trunk of his rental, dropping their bags inside..

"I'll see you later J," John smiled before getting into the car.

"The bar on the corner by the hotel at 9 Jess," Amy pointed before getting into the back seat of John's car.

"Why isn't she riding with me?" Jessica laughed.

"Because God doesn't want me and John to have a minute alone tonight," Cory smirked.

"You sure you wanna go out?" Jessica asked, dropping her gym bag in her own trunk. "I mean, I know this is kind of a big day and all."

"It's Amy's first night back and she _really_ wants to go out like old times," Cory said quietly. "We'll have a couple drinks, do a round in Dawn's honor and then I can come back and John and I can talk."

"Talk?" Jessica smirked. "Mmhmm."

"Bye Jess," Cory rolled her eyes before getting into the car.

As they drove away, Jessica reached up to close her trunk, then remembered the perfume bottle in her bag. The last time she left a perfume bottle in the trunk her clothes got soaked.

She unzipped the bag pulling out the perfume, then slammed the trunk and quickly got into the car. It looked like it might rain and she wanted to get back to the hotel before it started.

* * *

Dawn's hair was soaked with sweat, her throat raw from screaming. Every muscle in her body ached and she was tingling all over.  
She'd given birth.

After feeling the pain, she'd called for Jim and Savannah. Jim, who she found out that night had some sort of career in medicine, told her that she was going into labor. After hours of contractions and pushing, screaming, and pain, she finally gave birth to she and Mark's child. A baby girl. And she'd barely gotten the chance to look at her. Savannah held the baby, with her back to Dawn as Jim cut the umbilical cord and they cleaned her up. Dawn could hear her crying and she desperately begged Savannah but she just walked out of the room with her baby in her arms. Jim had cleaned Dawn up, got her comfortable, and then stitched the wounds in her hand. Now she was alone, laying in bed, tears streaming down her face as she prayed that somehow, she would be able to look at her baby girl again. Savannah had asked her once what she wanted to name her child. Dawn didn't have to think about it. She and Mark used to say that if they ever had a boy they would name him Mark and if they had a girl, they would name her Shelby. She couldn't remember which one of them suggested the name but they both loved it.

_Shelby Corinne._

"She's beautiful."

Dawn tensed when she heard the door open. Normally knowing it was him and not Savannah would ease her mind a little but this time it didn't. After all those hours of labor, he helped Savannah take her baby away from her.

"I wanna see her," Dawn insisted.

"You know I cant do that," he shook his head.

"Yes you can," Dawn sat up as much as she could. She wanted to pick something up and throw it at him but she was too weak and her newly stitched hand was too tender. "Go get my daughter."

"Dawn if I could I would but there's no way she's letting that baby out of her sight," he sighed.

"_That baby_ is _mine_!" Dawn screamed. "She's _my_ baby!"

"I know that," he said, sitting in the chair beside the bed. "And I am so, _so_ sorry Dawn but-"

"Get out," Dawn said, tears filling her eyes. He wasn't going to help her, he was too afraid of Savannah.

"But-"

"Get out of here," she cried. "That crazy bitch is gonna kill me soon and I don't want any of my last moments to be with you."

* * *

"Many times I've tried to tell you  
many times I've cried alone.  
Always I'm surprised how well you cut my feelings to the bone.  
Don't wanna leave you really  
I've invested too much time.  
To give you up that easy

To the doubts that complicate your mind.  
We belong to the light, we belong to the thunder.  
We belong to the sound of the words we've both fallen under.  
Whatever we deny or embrace for worse or for better  
Weeeeee belong, we belong, we belong together."

Jessica belted along with Pat Benatar as she drove back to the hotel.

She was about to start singing along to the second verse when she heard a strange sound in the backseat. She turned the radio down to see if she would hear it again. Then, before she could turn around to check the backseat she felt something tight around her neck.

* * *

Carter tried to tune out her annoying screeching as he pulled the cloth around her neck.

"Shut up!" he yelled, pulling the scarf tighter. She scratched at his hands letting go of the wheel. He looked into the rearview mirror and her blue eyes locked with his. Her face was turning red. When the car started to veer into the next lane, she gripped the wheel, trying to straighten the car. She used one arm to steer and she tried to slap at him with the other.

"Stop it!" he yelled. "Stop!"

* * *

Jessica struggled for air as she felt her throat being crushed by the cloth. She was beginning to lose consciousness, black splotches clouding her vision. Scratching at him seemed to have no effect and she looked around, trying to find some way out of this. Then, she remembered the perfume in the passenger seat. Blindly, she grabbed the bottle as she tried to steer the car toward the shoulder. She sprayed the perfume behind her, knowing she'd gotten him in the eyes when he yelled out in pain and let go of the cloth around her neck. She gasped, grabbing at the door handle until she got the door open and rolled out onto the gravel. Pain shot through her as rocks and gravel scraped her skin. When she stopped rolling, she looked up, still gasping for air as she watched the car crash into a telephone pole. She struggled to stand, her lungs feeling like they were on fire and her neck rubbed raw.

She stumbled back toward the street, "Help! Help me!"

* * *

Hunter was driving back to the hotel from the arena when he heard the screaming.

"Help me!" He saw a young woman with dark hair stumbling on the side of the road, waving her arms. He pulled over and as he got closer to her he realized who it was. He pushed his door open and rushed toward her, almost tripping on the loose gravel.

"Jessica!" he yelled.

"Hunter!" she cried, running to him. She fell into his arms, crying hysterically. "He tried to kill me."

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

**Peeps!! I think you're all going to enjoy this chapter, or at least I hope. Thanks for the kind reviews to chapter 12! Big hugs to everyone. I'm already working on the next chapter. Read, Enjoy, & _Please_ Review!!**

**Chapter 13...**

"Hunter!" Cory rushed to him when she spotted him in the waiting room. Amy was at her heels, both of them a little out of breath from running through the hospital. John was outside parking the car. "Where is she?"

Cory's heart was trying to beat it's way out of her chest. She felt like she hadn't taken a deep breath since she got the call from Hunter, ordering her to get to the hospital ASAP.

"Cory, try to relax," Hunter put his hands on her arms.

"Hunter, where is she?" Cory pulled away, not in the mood to be talked down.

"She's with the doctor," he answered. "She's gonna be okay. She may have broken her wrist rolling out of the car, that's the worst of it. The rest is just cuts and bruises."

"Oh my God," Cory shook her head, clutching her hands in her hair.

"Did you see the guy?" Amy asked. "Did they catch him?"

"When they got to her rental, there was nobody there," Hunter shook his head. "I was so focused on Jess, I didn't see him or hear him get out and run."

"I cant believe this," Cory shook her head. "Who the hell would do something like this?"

"We cant go in to see her yet," Hunter put his arm around her shoulders. "They have to set her wrist and then she's gotta talk to the police. The nurse said she'd come get us when we can go in."

She shrugged his arm off, stepping away from him. She didn't want him trying to comfort her, she wanted to see her sister.

"Cory!"

Her head snapped up w hen she heard Mark's voice. She saw he and John run in together and she ran to them. John's arms wrapped around her and Mark patted her on the back before asking Hunter what the hell happened.

"She's okay," John whispered into her ear. "She's okay."

* * *

Carter clenched the pencil between his teeth, taking a deep breath as he pulled the tweezers out of the disinfectant. He had a piece of gravel stuck in a gash on his forehead and he needed to get it out so he could clean the wound. He was full of cuts and bruises after that dumb bitch crashed the car into a tree. If she hadn't sprayed him in the eyes, he would have been able to grab the wheel and get them to a better spot. He took another deep breath and leaned closer to the mirror, grabbing the rock with the tweezers and pulling it out as quickly as he could, biting down on the pencil. Once it was out, he dropped the tweezers and spit the pencil out, his breathing coming much faster. That hurt like hell. He was never fond of tending to his own injuries but he couldn't exactly go to a hospital. He was still surprised that Jessica had managed to get away from him. She was a scrappy bitch, a lot like her mother. He wasn't worried though. He would get her when the time was right. He would get them all.

* * *

Jonah leaned on the desk in front of him, looking at the set of pictures he'd picked up earlier that day. One of them was a picture of Cory and Taylor. Cory had an arm around Taylor's shoulders and their heads rested against each other as they smiled brightly. Jonah couldn't believe that no one had figured out their connection yet. They had the same eyes, royal blue with long, thick lashes. Their smiles were the same, the left corner of both their mouths was up higher than the right. Cory's hair was a rich, warm brown but Chris had told him that it was naturally closer to Taylor's color. They weren't identical but looking at the two of them together that way, it was obvious to him that they were sisters. And they had a connection that couldn't be denied. In spite of all of the drama that seemed to surround Taylor every day, she lit up when her friend arrived at the hospital. She was still talking about the day she had in the outside world. He couldn't help but think that now, with Dr. Tanner taking over her treatment, maybe she was ready to know the truth.

* * *

Cory put a hand over her mouth, pacing back and forth as she waited for word on her sister. She still felt like this was some sort of freakish joke. She couldn't believe that someone would try to hurt her sister like this. She kept thinking about what would have happened if Jessica hadn't managed to get out of that car. Tears stung her eyes when she thought of what life would be like without her sister. Jessica was so important to her. She thought back to the pep talk she gave her earlier when Cory told her about the talk she wanted to have with John. She'd made her feel so much better. She sniffed, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath as she looked around the room. Jessica was alive, injured, but alive and she needed to concentrate on that. Her eyes landed on Hunter and she looked away from him quickly. Guilt twisted her stomach as she thought about what the two of them did. Sleeping with Hunter was by far the worst thing she'd ever done. She knew that her sister would never betray her like that. She couldn't believe that she'd gotten drunk and done something so horrible. She couldn't think of anything she regretted more and she wasn't quite sure how to deal with what she was feeling.

"Ms. Samms?"

She jumped when someone touched her arm. She turned to see a nurse standing in front of her, "Yes?"

"The police officers would like you to join your sister in the exam room. They have some questions for you."

* * *

Mark paced as the nurse took Cory away. He was worried for Jessica. He cared a lot for his friend so he was trying to stay focused on the matter at hand but his mind kept drifting to Dawn. Dawn wasn't lucky enough to get away from the person who attacked her. Lately all he could think about was that the baby would have been due soon. He wasn't supposed to be planning her memorial, he was supposed to be painting the nursery, packing a bag for the hospital, and going out in the middle of the night to fulfill Dawn's cravings. He was supposed to be wondering if the baby would look more like him or her, if they were having a boy or a girl.

He stood near the window, looking out into the parking lot, closing his eyes, trying to ignore the tears that threatened to come. He took a deep breath and quietly wondered if it was time to accept that he would probably never see Dawn again..and he would never see their beautiful child.

* * *

"The two of you didn't think it was important to tell the police that someone was threatening to hurt you?" one of the police officers looked at Jessica and Cory like they were the dumbest bimbos on Earth.

Cory could tell Jessica was getting angry and she decided to take this one.

"Officer, we're in a business with fans that can sometimes get a little over zealous," Cory explained. "But when we travel, we have plenty of company security, not to mention protection from professional athletes. It's impossible to keep our hotel locations completely confidential and it's not like we can hide what arena we're going to or where we'll be signing autographs. We didn't alert the police because we didn't think there was anything that could be done. Things like this happen to people in our business..and they pass."

"Aren't you the one who was crying on Larry King when your friend went missing?" the older officer asked her.

Cory tensed, crossing her arms over her chest, "Yes, that's me."

"Funny, I would have expected someone in your situation to take something like this more seriously," the officer looked her up and down.

"Do you have any more questions?" Jessica asked. "Because if not, I'd like you to stop making snide comments toward my sister."

"Ms. Farrell, we simply want you to understand the gravity of the situation," the officer insisted.

"Believe me," she looked down at her injured wrist and then back at the cops. "I get it."

"We're gonna have your rental car swept for prints, hopefully we get something," the younger officer said. "We'll be in touch and an officer will be posted outside your hotel room for the night and escort you to the airport tomorrow."

"Thank you," Jessica nodded to them before they exited the room. Once they were gone, Cory looked over at her bruised sister and tears filled her eyes. The officers were right, someone in her position, someone who had already lost their best friend, shouldn't have taken these threats lightly.

"Hey," Jessica took her hand. "No crying Cory, come on."

"I'm just so glad you're okay," Cory sat beside her, gingerly hugging her.

"Stop it," Jessica squeezed her tightly. "You're not getting rid of your big sister that easy. Why don't you go find John and grab some coffee? They're gonna let me out of here in a little bit."

"I don't wanna go," Cory shook her head.

"Just for coffee," Jessica insisted. "You'll be back in a few minutes. Besides, I want you to send Hunter in. I need to thank him."

* * *

**Two Days Later…**

Sarah squinted against the bright sun as she looked up at the Farisse's home. She looked down at her wrist, pulling up the sleeve of her coat so she could see her watch. Owen had been gone for almost 15 minutes. She knew she should have looked up their phone number to let them know she was coming to talk to them. She didn't though and when she and Owen arrived to interview Michael's parents, they were nowhere to be found. Owen had gone to the neighbors house to find out if they knew when the couple would be returning.

She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, more to keep herself warm than any other reason. Finally, after another minute or two, Owen emerged from the house next door, smiling and waving to someone before the door closed.

"Nobody told you to make them lunch Wagner," Sarah sighed. "You were just supposed to ask a question."

"I did ask a question _Chadwick_," he stressed her last name. "They're out of town. They should be back in a week or two. And apparently Mrs. Tobin has a _serious_ rash that she would really like me to look at."

"You're not a doctor," Sarah frowned.

Owen laughed, "Try telling her that. It's been there for weeks."

"I don't say this often as a journalist but that's more than I need to know," Sarah cringed. She looked around the neighborhood and then up at her new partner, "So…what do we do now?"

Owen shrugged, "We go back to the drawing board."

* * *

Taylor looked out the window, watching as a light snow drifted down to the ground. She'd been staring out the window all morning with an anxious feeling stirring in her chest. In just a few minutes she was going to have her first group therapy session with Dr. Tanner and a few other patients. She was already in the room, Jonah had let her come down early. Taylor was nervous to have interaction with the other patients. She'd never really spoken to any of them. It wasn't because she was afraid of them or thought she was better than them. She just…she was always so caught up in her own issues, sometimes she forgot there were other people there.

She looked up at the clock, watching as the second hand passed 12 three times. Then, the door opened and Dr. Tanner walked in, followed by four people she didn't really recognize and two nurses. Everyone sat down and Taylor scanned the room. The young man next to her looked about her age. He was close to 6 feet with dark hair cut very close to his head. He was slightly overweight and she noticed that his hands were already starting to look clammy. He noticed her looking at him and offered a shy smile. She gave him a weak wave and looked away, not wanting to make him feel any more awkward. The woman next to him was in her mid twenties. She was short and slender with her unruly brown curls pulled up into a haphazard ponytail. Beside her was a young girl, she couldn't have been older than 16. She was alarmingly thin and kept her eyes to the floor. And finally, across from Taylor there was a man that looked to be in his early 30's. The bags under his eyes rivaled hers and he gave her a quick salute as Dr. Tanner sat in the seat between them.

"Good afternoon everyone," he smiled.

"Good afternoon," the reply came almost in unison.

"We have a new addition to the group today," Dr. Tanner explained. "Everyone, this is Taylor. Taylor, allow me to introduce Jeremy, Mary, April, and Todd."

Taylor offered a sheepish wave, praying she could make it through this session without running away screaming.

"Okay," Dr. Tanner said, putting his papers down on the floor behind him. "Let's get started."

* * *

"Thanks for helping me with this Am," Cory said as they walked down the ramp toward the ring. "I'm sure this is kind of weird for you."

"Not as weird as coming back and seeing that you, Jess, and Viveca are bosom buddies and you wanna date _John Cena_ of all people."

Amy still couldn't quite believe how much things had changed. John Cena, a person she'd never had much tolerance for, seemed to be everybody's best friend. And when she was still on the road, Viveca would barely give Jeff the time of day. She was always with Adam and Jason and Jeff was always with Amy and Matt. And now they were married. It still blew her mind. She'd heard about it, of course, but seeing them together was just..strange. She and Viveca weren't exactly enemies but they'd never been friends. Amy had fundamental problems with Viveca professionally. The woman had been in the company for years and, though she knew how to take bumps and could get through an easy match, she'd never shown any desire to do anything more. That coupled with the fact that Viveca was an admitted narcissist made it clear to Amy that they didn't have much in common so she'd never really made any effort to get to know her.

But now Vince had asked Cory to work with Viveca on her in ring skills. Cory had asked Jessica to help her but now that Jess had a broken wrist, she asked Amy.

"V is really cool, you'll see that now that you get to spend a little time with her," Cory insisted as she got into the ring.

She trusted Cory's judgment but she couldn't see herself getting close to Jeff Hardy's wife, considering the history there.

"And I'm gonna need you to give John a chance," Cory requested, sitting on the ring apron. "Because I really care about him. I don't get why you two dislike each other so much."

"We had a mixed tag once and I told him he that he needed to work on his skills in the ring," Amy said. "I mean he uses the same four moves over and over again. It's boring."

Cory gave her a look and Amy shrugged, "I'm sorry, I know you and all the fans like him but you have to admit, he isn't the greatest wrestler in the world."

"I think he's a great performer," Cory said. "And he's great for this business. And you have to admit, that was pretty bitchy of you dear."

"Well after I said it, he said that I was sloppy and overrated," Amy crossed her arms over her chest. "Can you believe that?"

Cory smirked, looking away and dramatically shrugging her shoulders.

"Hey!" Amy laughed, playfully punching her friend in the arm.

"Aren't you supposed to wait for me to start the brawling?"

Amy turned to see Viveca strolling toward the ring. When she reached them, she gave Cory a big hug, "I really wanna thank you for doing this for me."

"It's no problem V," Cory insisted.

"And thanks for helping Amy," Viveca smiled at her. "I really appreciate it."

"No need to thank me," Amy shrugged, feeling awkward already. This was going to be quite a day.

* * *

Viveca climbed into the ring along with Amy and Cory, wondering how this was going to go. She and Amy really didn't know each other very well and Amy didn't exactly look thrilled to be there. She certainly wasn't beaming the way she was when she practically jumped on Jeff Monday night. She was trying her best to look past that though. It didn't matter if Amy was thrilled to be there or not, she was helping her out so Viveca owed her the benefit of the doubt.

"Okay, let's get this started," Amy clapped her hands together.

"Hey, don't forget who's in charge here," Cory laughed.

"Well, I've never worked with you in the ring before Viveca, so I sort of need to have an idea of how you move," Amy said.

"Okay," Viveca shrugged. "What do you want me to-"

Before another word escaped her, Amy pushed her, hard. She hit the canvas with a loud smack, her head bouncing.

"Jesus Christ Amy!" Cory exclaimed, kneeling beside Viveca's fallen frame. Viveca looked up at the lights above her, wondering if they were really spinning around like that.

Cory helped her sit up and she gave Amy a puzzled look, "Exactly what was that for?"

"Well you're gonna have to learn how to fall the right way even when you're caught off guard," Amy shrugged. "I was just trying to help, I guess I assumed you already knew that…Sorry Viveca."

* * *

Lianna looked across the table at Matt. She'd just finished telling a story and he was quiet the entire time. Usually she could barely get through a sentence without him interrupting her.

"Okay, you know what?" she leaned on the table. "That's it…You are acting weird."

He frowned, looking up from his plate, "What?"

"For the past few days, when any of us can find you, you're being all quiet and shifty like someone's after you," she said. "You don't have _that_ many fans Hardy."

"I am not being shifty," Matt rolled his eyes at her.

"Well you're avoiding something," she deduced. "And you haven't called me a shrew or an ice bitch or _anything_ and quite frankly, I'm getting sick of it."

"You do realize you're insane, right?" he asked.

"It's not fun for me to sit here and insult you if you don't fight back," She sighed. "Then I just feel like a bully."

"You are a bully," he smirked. "And there's nothing wrong with me so stop asking or I'll start to think you care."

"Let's not get crazy now," she pointed her fork at him.

"So how was your date the other night?" Matt asked.

"It was good," Lianna smiled, thinking back to the dinner. "Very good."

"You know eventually we're gonna find out who it was," Matt said. "You might as well tell us. I don't see why you're keeping it a secret."

"It's not a secret," Lianna shrugged. "I just didn't want anyone saying anything to him before we went out."

Matt gestured for her to continue.

"Dave," she answered.

"Dave who?" Matt stared.

Lianna laughed at his reaction, "Dave Batista."

Matt looked surprised. He shook his head, giving her a serious look, "You're not going out with him again."

* * *

"Just try not to scare him, okay?" Paula requested as she and Chris walked up the front stairs.

"I wont scare him," Chris assured his friend. "I just..I wanna ask him a few questions, that's all."

Chris stood behind as she unlocked the door and walked in, following only when she waved him in. He felt guilty having to ask Paul to drag up his past but he needed to help his friends and he had a nagging feeling that maybe Paul was the key.

* * *

Paul looked up from his paper when his daughter walked into the kitchen, smiling.

"Hey there," he smiled. "I thought you had to work this afternoon."

"I switched with Daisy to get the morning shift today," she explained. "I have someone I want you to meet."

"Oh no," Paul groaned, rubbing his forehead. He was having a pretty good day, he didn't want to have to play nice with one of Paula's new loser boyfriends. His daughter hadn't picked a winner in 22 years and he didn't see her picking one any time soon.

"Not like that," Paula shook her head as if she'd read his mind. She stepped further into the kitchen and then waved behind her. Paul was shocked when he recognized the young blonde man that accompanied his daughter. He stood up, a smile spreading across his face.

"Dad this is my friend-"

"Chris Jericho," Paul smiled, reaching out his hand.

"You know who he is?" Paula smiled, obviously surprised.

"I used to watch WCW when they were still in business," Paul explained as he shook Chris's hand. "I'm a big fan of yours young man."

"Nice to meet you," Chris smiled.

"Please, have a seat," Paul pulled out a chair. He looked at his daughter, "How come you didn't tell me you know him?"

"I didn't think you'd know who I was talking about," Paula shrugged as she and Chris sat down.

"Well I would have," Paul laughed as he sat down. "So Chris..how exactly do you know my daughter?"

* * *

"So…what I'm going to now is ask each of you the same question," Dr. Tanner leaned forward, elbow on his knees as he spoke to the group. "And I want you to answer with complete honest. Remember, no one is here to judge you or your feelings. We all just want to get a better understanding of each other."

He looked around the room, scanning the facial expressions. Todd, who was sitting to his left, didn't seem to have any objection. For the most part, Todd was relatively easy going when it came to group therapy. He was currently in treatment for severe insomnia. They'd been trying to get to the root of his sleep deprivation for about a month. He was always very cooperative and upfront. Next to him was April. She looked apprehensive, her hands folded on her laps, her eyes looking at everything except the doctor. She was only 16 but she was seeking treatment for eating disorders for the third time in three years. She was sometimes painfully shy and truly one of the most kind hearted patients he'd ever worked with, except when it came to herself. She had such a depleted sense of self worth that he often found himself worrying for her after their sessions. Next to her was Mary, arms crossed over her chest, her foot tapping impatiently on the floor. She was being treated for Post Partum Depression. Her husband had begged her to seek help after he discovered that she was neglecting their child. She could be incredibly unpleasant and defensive but there were glimpses of a person that really wanted help. Dr. Tanner just tried his best to grab on to those and try to bring out that woman. And Jeremy…He was incredibly proud of Jeremy. He was 20 years old and had suffered from a profound case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since he was a young child. He was also very shy and was very awkward in social situations, having avoided making friends in school for fear of them laughing at his rituals. He'd been a patient of Dr. Tanner's for years and had shown great improvement, especially in the last three years but there were still some lingering problems. When he and his father found out that the doctor would be in residence at the hospital for a while, he checked in voluntarily, hoping to benefit from more therapy. He was rubbing his palms on his pant legs, smiling nervously. And then there was Taylor. She'd looked tense for the entire session. He'd tried to be easy on her, not pushing her to join in the discussion but now it couldn't be avoided. He was glad that her friend had asked him to take her on. After reading about Taylor, he was fascinated with her case. Many people who'd been through anything like the things she had would already be dead. But she had a strength she didn't realize was there. If he could help her find it, he had a feeling she was a person who could do great things.

"So what's the question?" Mary asked, still tapping her foot.

"I'll start with Taylor," he said, looking over at her.

Her blue eyes opened wide and she shook her head nervously, "Do you have to start with me?"

"In this instance, yes I do," he nodded. "Now I want you to tell me what you think about yourself."

"What?" Taylor asked quietly.

"I want to know your opinion of yourself," he said. "But the trick is, I don't want to hear anything relating to _traumatic events_. I want to know what you think of your looks, your personality, your talents. I want to know what _you_ think about _you_."

She took a deep breath, looking down at her hands, "Um…okay…I uh..It's sort of hard to think about _just me_. I'm really not good at talking about myself."

"Just do your best," he gave her a reassuring nod.

She wrung her hands, "Well..I guess I'm just..average. I've never really thought I was all that pretty but..I guess I don't think I'm ugly. I'm not dumb but..I'm not exactly a genius. Growing up I never really did any activities or anything like that…"

She trailed off, shaking her head, "Dr. Tanner, I really don't know what you want me to say here, okay? I thought this was supposed to help me deal with my issues."

"It is Taylor," he insisted. "You're not going to get better if I just give you some medicine and send you on your way. That's been happening for months now with no progress."

She looked down at her hands.

"Notice that in your description you didn't say one really good thing about yourself," he said. "Not pretty but not ugly, not smart but not dumb, you didn't say one thing that was truly positive. When I took away your trauma, you didn't know who you were because you couldn't be Taylor who had bad things happen to her."

She looked up at him, her eyes looking misty. She was trying her best to hide it though.

"What I want you to do is try to find yourself outside of the bad times," he explained. "All of you, I want you to explore the people you are now and find someone that you believe in, find someone that you would want to know, to be friends with. You all have good qualities, extraordinary qualities, but if _you_ don't see them…it's going to be hard for other people to see them."

* * *

"Hey," Jeff walked into the gym. Matt had sent him a text, telling him to meet he and Jason there ASAP. "I got the text, what's going on?"

"That's the question of the day," Jason said. "He wouldn't tell me until you got here."

Jeff looked over at his brother, waiting for him to explain himself. He looked..anxious.

"Lianna's going out with Dave," Matt explained.

"Dave who?" Jason asked.

"Dave Batista," Matt answered.

Jeff tensed. Lianna was truly like a little sister to him and the last person he would want dating his little sister was Dave Batista.

"No she's not," Jason shook his head. "She would've told me."

"She didn't tell anybody," Matt explained. "She didn't want anyone to say anything to him before their first date."

"So how do you know?" Jason asked, still unconvinced.

"I got it out of her today," Matt paced.

Dave's prowess when it came to women was well known throughout the locker room. Dave made it clear that he didn't think there'd been a woman born who could resist him. It wasn't rare to see him retire to his hotel room with at least one different woman in almost every city.

"Well what did you say to her?" Jason asked.

"I told her she wasn't going out with him again," Matt said. "And then she just laughed at me and changed the subject."

"She's not gonna listen to you Matt, she doesn't take you seriously," Jason said. "I'll talk to her."

"Oh yeah, because you're so much more serious than me," Matt rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'll talk to her," Jeff put his hands up. "You two talk to Dave."

* * *

"Is this bruise ever gonna go away?" Jessica asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

Hunter walked over and stood behind her. She still had dark bruising around her neck from the attack. She was clad in a sweatshirt and black pants, her wrist encased in a red cast. Her right cheek was bruised and her top lip was still a little swollen.

"They'll go away," he assured her, lightly rubbing his hand on her back.

She leaned back against him and he rested his chin on top of her head. He'd tried his best to be by her side as much as possible. He was just so grateful to have her there. Every time he looked at her he thought about how much it would have hurt to lose his friend. And he admired her so much for making it out of that situation alive. She was a fighter, that was for sure and he was glad for that.

* * *

Jessica opened her eyes, looking at Hunter in the mirror. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her, taking her hand, "Come on..you need to sit down."

"I'm okay," she insisted.

"I'm sure you are," he led her to the couch. "Just do it for my peace of mind."

"Anything for you," she laughed, sitting down on the couch, careful of her hip that had gotten scraped when she fell out of the car. He picked up the menus he'd gotten from the front desk and sat beside her, "You hungry?"

"A little," she shrugged, resting her head on his shoulder. He started flipping through the menus but she wasn't really looking at any of them. She hated to admit it but she was just enjoying having Hunter dote on her. Cory had been a big help too and she loved her sister for it but she really just enjoyed being alone with Hunter. The way he was acting gave her some hope. He'd been acting distant lately but now he seemed like himself again.

"Chinese sound good to you?" he asked.

She smiled up at him, "Sounds perfect."

* * *

Paul laughed as Chris finished telling him another story about going to a bar with Ric Flair. After Chris and Paula finally made him believe that they weren't seeing each other, Paul had a bunch of questions about life on the road in WCW.

"Okay, that's enough," Paula said, though she was laughing as well. "Dad, there is a reason I brought Chris here."

"And what reason is that?" Paul asked.

"Well," Paula looked down at the table before looking up at him. "It's about Taylor Jennings."

Paul frowned at the mention of his young former neighbor. Paula had been asking so many questions about the Jennings family lately, "What about Taylor?"

"Taylor and I are..we're close," Chris tried to explain. "And there have been a lot of strange things going on with her. And recently I found out about some threats being made on her sisters."

"Her sisters?" he looked over at Paula. The information he told her wasn't supposed to be public knowledge.

"Mr. Cowell, Paula has been asking you about Frank Jennings and his children because I asked her to," Chris explained. "I know them all very well and I care about them. I'm worried that someone may be trying to hurt them."

"Why would you think I can help?" Paul asked. "The only person I know that would want to hurt those girls is dead and gone."

"Taylor thinks she's been seeing her father," Paula blurted. "Jessica and Cory have been getting strange gifts, phone calls…Someone drove Taylor to try and kill herself. And Nancy was murdered, Dad, you know something is going on here."

"She's been seeing her father?" Paul looked over at Chris for confirmation.

Chris nodded, "The doctors think she's having hallucinations but…I'm not so sure anymore. And then Paula told me something about a man outside Taylor's room when she was in the hospital right after her father's death. I know this sounds crazy Mr. Cowell but I think that man may be the person that Taylor is seeing. Is there anyone that you can think of that might be doing this?"

Paul felt a churning in his stomach and he looked away, shaking his head. In truth, there was someone that came to mind. The only person he'd ever known who was more disturbed than Frank Jennings. And the only person who could scare Frank's daughter into thinking she was seeing her dead father.

Carter Jennings.

Frank's younger brother was a nutcase, always had been. He was a star football player in high school but he never really had any social skills. The one girl Paul knew that went out with him ended up in the hospital after a particularly violent confrontation. After that, no one would go near him. Even Frank had been somewhat intimidated by his younger brother. He always said that what made Carter was so scary was that he was smart. If he didn't want to get caught, he wasn't going to.

"Dad?" Paula stared at him.

"I cant think of anyone," Paul shook his head. "I'm very sorry I just…I cant help you."

They both looked confused but Paul stood firm. There was no way he was pointing a finger at Carter Jennings. Because if Carter found out, there would be hell to pay.

* * *

Carter pressed his back against the side of the house, listening as the front door opened and Paula and Chris walked down the stairs. He closed his eyes, trying to hear what they were saying.

"Well that was interesting," Paula said.

"Yeah," Chris agreed. "I think I know what to do now."

"What are you gonna do?" she asked.

"I don't really wanna talk about it right now," he said. "But…I have some ideas. We have to find this guy."

They got into the car and he couldn't hear anymore. He bent down, concealing himself behind some bushes as the pair drove away. Once they were out of sight, he stood up, brushing off his pants. He looked up at the house, wondering just how much Paul Cowell told them and what he was going to have to do about it.

* * *

Cory scratched out what she wrote, tossing the pen away. When she got back to her hotel room after working with Amy and Viveca, she sat down, once again trying to write her speech for the memorial. Everything she wrote just ended up sounding stupid when she read it aloud. There weren't any words that could explain how she felt about Dawn. She couldn't put down on a piece of paper how much she missed her friend and how desperately she wanted her to come home. Mark told her that he didn't plan on writing anything down. He said it was easier for him to just get up and speak but she couldn't do that. She was going to have a hard enough time speaking through her tears. If she got up there without something prepared, she would probably just fall to the floor sobbing.

She ran a hand through her hair, looking at the picture she'd set down next to her notepad. It was taken at a photo shoot. They were both in bikinis. Dawn was laughing and Cory was in the middle of some ridiculously dorky dance with her arms thrown up in the air. She sniffed, looking at the picture, and thinking about her friend. Dawn was always the wiser of the two of them. She could always tell Cory what to do when she was lost. She tried to think of what Dawn would tell her to do at that very moment. She put the picture down, pulling her knees up to her chest. The first thing that came to her mind was John. Dawn would probably smack her about the head if she knew what was going on with the two of them. With everything that happened with Jessica, she hadn't had a chance to have the talk she wanted to have with him. She looked down at the picture again and saw Dawn's smiling face. She took a deep breath and stood up, walking toward her door, picking up her room key on the way. There was no time like the present.

* * *

Jeff looked up when his wife entered the room. She'd been out for most of the day with Cory and Amy. He stood up when he saw that she was holding an ice pack on top of her head.

"Have fun baby?" he asked, walking over and giving her a kiss.

"Does it look like I had fun?" she glared at him before walking past him and climbing onto the bed.

"What happened?" he asked, laying down beside her, pulling her close to him.

"Amy tried to take my head off," she said as he took the ice pack out of her hand, holding it on for her.

"What?" he laughed.

"Cory was pretty easy on me," she said. "I mean, she was patient, she tried to show me things and she didn't use full force yet. But Amy…Amy decided to kick my ass like we were in a street fight."

"She was just trying to help V," Jeff said, kissing the top of her head.

"Oh yeah, she was really helpful," Viveca said dryly. "Every time Cory suggested we try something she would say 'Do you really think she's gonna be able to do that Cory?'"

"Still sounds helpful to me," Jeff shrugged.

She propped herself up on her elbow, giving him a look, "It wasn't helpful Jeff, it was condescending. She wasn't looking out for me, she was trying to be insulting. I don't know what the hell her problem is but she doesn't like me."

Jeff pulled her back down, kissing the top of her head. He had a feeling he knew what Amy's problem was and he was going to have to talk to her and make sure things were clear.

* * *

John looked up when he heard a light knock on the door.

"Who is it?" he walked toward the door. He hadn't been expecting anybody.

"It's me," he heard Cory's voice through the door.

He walked over, quickly opening the door, "Hey, what's up?"

He was alarmed when he saw her. She was in sweats and a tank top, her hair mussed. Her eyes were red and tears clumped her lashes together.

"Are you okay?" he asked, opening the door wider, waving her in.

"I'm sorry, were you.."

She looked him up and down. He'd just gotten out of the shower a few minutes earlier and was wearing only his boxers and sweatpants.

"Just finished showering," he said, taking her hand. "Come in, what's going on?"

She walked in, looking around the room, her back to him. He walked over, lightly touching her arm and she turned around, looking up at him, "I..I was trying to write my speech for the memorial."

He sighed, taking her hand in his and waiting for her to continue.

"I couldn't come up with anything," she shook her head. "I feel like my words cant do her justice. I feel like I haven't done anything she'd be proud of in a while."

"Cory, you-"

"John just listen for a minute, please," she stepped a little closer to him and he closed his mouth.

"The cops after Jessie's accident…they implied that I hadn't learned from what happened to Dawn and in a way..they were right," she sniffed. "Because there's someone that I care so much about, who has done so much for me and means _so much_ to me and I haven't told him that. I haven't told him that I'm sorry for everything that's happened in the past and I'm sorry for being an idiot for this long."

John wasn't sure what to say. He just stared for a second, hoping he wasn't dreaming.

"Cory you don't have to-"

She cut him off, putting her hands on his face and pulling him close, pressing her lips against his.

John's head spun as she kissed him. He held the back of her neck, parting her lips with his tongue. Her arms wrapped around his neck and one of his hands rested on the small of her back, holding her close to him. Kissing her felt so amazing, he wasn't sure he was ever going to let her go. They stayed in the same spot, hands all over each other until they couldn't breathe anymore. Finally, they pulled apart and she looked up at him, "I'm ready for this..for us…if you are."

John smiled, softly kissing her lips, "Hell yeah I am."

* * *

Dawn woke up when she heard the door open. It seemed she woke up at the slightest sound lately. She was always hoping that the next sound she would hear was the sound of her baby crying. She would give anything just to hear her little girl. But she wasn't in the house. Savannah had taken her away and she hadn't been back in days. Savannah had named her Shelby. She said that Glenn would love it. She wasn't surprised. Savannah managed to take everything else from her, of course she used the name Dawn chose for her baby.

Jim leaned against the wall, looking down at her. The very sight of him had come to disgust Dawn. She couldn't believe that she'd once felt sorry for this man.

"She just called," he said. "Shelby's doing fine. She's seen a doctor, someone Savannah knows. Glenn's been off the road since she called him to tell him the baby arrived."

"Well isn't that great for the happy family?" she spat.

"She said that your mother is having a memorial for you," he said.

Dawn looked away, tears quickly filling her eyes. She had a whole new understanding for how her mother might be feeling. Being away from her newborn was killing her, she couldn't imagine how it felt for her mother to think she was dead.

"They think I'm dead," she sniffed, closing her eyes. The tears flowed down her cheeks and she bit her bottom lip. "It's been so long..they'd be crazy to think I'm still alive. No one's looking anymore."

She looked around the room and then over at Jim, "I'm never gonna get out of here, am I?"

Jim sighed, "I don't know. I hope you do."

* * *

Sarah looked over her notes, shaking her head. They weren't getting anywhere. She looked up from the

papers, twisting her hair up into a bun, "Maybe Michael's case isn't what we should start with."

"What do you mean?" Owen asked, drinking some of his coffee.

"Maybe Dawn Marie is the angle to look at first," Sarah shrugged.

"Why?" Owen looked up at her. She was sitting on the counter, glasses sliding down her nose.

She reached over to a stack of files he'd left out, picking up the one on top, "I don't know. I just get this feeling that maybe that's the way to go."

"Alright," Owen sighed. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Sarah asked.

"Dawn Marie's house," Owen said.

"Newsflash Wagner, we cant just go in there," Sarah said.

Owen smiled, "Yes we can."

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

**Peeps!! As always, big hugs for the reviews, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know what you think. It is greatly, _greatly_ appreciated. So sorry for the delay, been busy, yadda yadda, you've read all of my excuses before. But I'm back and I will try my BEST to make sure that this is not the only update this week, maybe even today if the reviews roll in (oh yeah, I'm bribing you, or blackmailing, whichever you prefer). By the way, I've been having a lot of trouble with my email so if anyone has sent me a message, I do apologize, I'm not getting them. I'll let y'all know when things are fixed. As always, Read, Enjoy, and please Review! **

_**Chapter 14...**_

"Would you mind telling me how we're going to get in here?" Sarah asked as they walked up the drive to Dawn Marie's house. Owen had assured her that getting into the house wouldn't be a problem but he hadn't explained how just yet.

"What are you so worried about?" he asked. "You've asked me that about six times now."

"Well, call me crazy but I'd like to keep the law-breaking to a minimum if at all possible," Sarah made a face at him.

"We're not _totally_ breaking any laws," Owen said. "One of the crime scene guys that was working the case at first told me where the spare key was. He also told me he 'forgot' to collect it, in case I needed to look into something."

He walked over to a potted plant and tipped it up with his toe, bending down and picking up a small silver key, "Voila."

"Nice work Wagner," she smiled as he unlocked the door and held it open for her.

"God it's freezing in here," Sarah hugged her jacket tighter around her. New Jersey in November wasn't exactly the tropics. Once this was over, Sarah was going to seriously consider moving to a warmer climate.

"Here," he tossed her his jacket, walking over to the thermostat.

"Thank you," she put it on, sweeping her ponytail out from under the collar. She looked around, taking in the environment. It was a nice, big but not ominously so. All of the furniture looked comfortable. Everything was a mix of yellow, pale blue, and white. There was a large fireplace on one wall with large windows on either side.

Sarah took a deep breath, "Where do we start?"

Owen was standing in front of the mantel, looking at the pictures, "Look at these."

Sarah walked over, scanning the images.

"Wow," Sarah looked at a framed WWE Magazine cover. Dawn was in front of a black background smiling. "She's gorgeous."

"Yup," Owen nodded. "What do you notice about the rest of these pictures?"

Sarah stared at them for a moment. It didn't take long to notice that the same two people appeared in all 10 pictures. A very tall man with piercing green eyes and a goatee, arms covered in tattoos, and a beautiful young woman with royal blue eyes and long hair that seemed to be a different shade in every picture.

"Who are they?" Sarah asked.

"They both worked with Dawn," Owen said. "Her ex-boyfriend Mark Callaway and her best friend Corinne Samms…From what I know, Dawn was very close to her coworkers but the cops didn't really do much about talking to them and seeing what they knew. They questioned them the day they figured out she was missing but…they pretty much dropped the ball after that."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, "You think we should talk to them?"

"What do you think?"

* * *

Dave entered the bar, looking around for Matt and Jason. They'd called him earlier that night, asking that he meet them. He was surprised by the request, considering they weren't exactly friends but he could use a good drink after a long day. He spotted the men in a dimly lit corner table. They both looked very serious and they were talking quietly. He took a deep breath, walking over and pulling up a chair.

"Gentlemen, I wasn't aware this was a date," he smirked. "I would've dressed a little nicer."

Jason gave him a confused look and Dave gestured to the soft light above them, "A little romantic, don't you think?"

"I think it's broken," Matt said, obviously not amused. "We didn't come here to talk about the lighting."

"Getting right down to business, I can respect that," Dave laughed. "What can I do for you guys?"

"It's about Lianna," Jason said.

Dave smiled. They weren't the first to ask him about his date with Lianna. The few guys in the locker room who knew about it had already grilled him for details. He'd been intrigued by Lianna from the day she started traveling with them. She was undeniably hot with a perfect little body and a very pretty face. He stayed away from her for a little while because he was seeing a dancer of the exotic variety and there was a rumor going around that Lianna had a boyfriend at home in New Jersey. But when things ended with Crystal and he found out that Jersey boy was nothing more than a rumor, he saw his opportunity. First, he asked her to accompany him to her sister's wedding but she turned him down. Undeterred by the rejection, he waited a few days and then asked her to go to dinner. She gladly accepted and they had a very good time. He spent the majority of the night staring down the front of her dress while she talked so he definitely enjoyed himself.

"What about her?" he asked.

"You cant go out with her," Jason said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Excuse me?" Dave looked at him, taken aback.

"Look Dave, we're not all best friends but we know you and we know how you are," Matt explained.

"And how is that?" Dave smiled, though he was pretty sure he knew what they meant.

"You go through chicks like underwear," Jason shrugged.

"And it's not gonna happen with Lianna," Matt added.

"I sense a little jealousy here boys," Dave smiled. He couldn't blame Jason and Matt for the way they felt. Dave was making more money, he was better looking, and now he was dating a woman that they both probably thought they had a shot with just because she talked to them sometimes. He sort of felt bad for them.

"We're not jealous," Matt scoffed. "We don't want her. At least, I know I don't."

"She's our friend," Jason clarified. "We don't want her to get hurt. She's..she's not your type."

"And by that you mean..?" Dave gestured for him to continue.

"We mean she's not easy," Matt explained.

"I know she's not," Dave smirked. "That makes this that much more fun."

Jason frowned, "What?"

Dave smiled, seeing in both their faces that he got under their skin, "I'd love to stay and shoot the breeze guys but I think I'm gonna call it a night. I should get to bed early. I think I'm gonna pick Lianna up for breakfast tomorrow."

* * *

Dawn awoke with a gasp when she heard the bedroom door fly open, the knob banging against the wall behind it. Her head was throbbing so badly she could swear her brain was trying to escape. She blinked against the harsh light that invaded her senses and her every muscle tensed when she heard heels clicking on the floor.

"Miss me?" Savannah's voice rang out and Dawn wished for the energy to reach out and grab something to throw at her. It seemed that lately Dawn didn't have the energy to do anything. She was having trouble keeping track of days and nights.

"I'm surprised to see you awake," Savannah said, walking close to the bed. "You know, I'm really glad you've been able to catch up on your rest lately."

Dawn tried to sit up, her head spinning, "Where..is my..baby?"

"If you're referring to my Shelby, she's not here," Savannah said cheerfully. "Glenn's visiting his parents and took her with."

"And why..aren't you there?" Dawn leaned against the wall behind her, closing her eyes, hoping a little darkness might help the dizziness.

"I had to leave at the last minute to tend to an ill family member," Savannah answered. "We both know how important family is to me, don't we?"

"Didn't..you kill..your brother?" Dawn slowly opened her eyes, turning her head toward her captor.

"I did," Savannah nodded. "But that was a necessity, it's not like I enjoyed it."  
Dawn's stomach churned at Savannah's casual tone. Her mental instability wasn't news but it sickened her more and more every day that this woman was so comfortable with what she was doing. She didn't have a shred of regret or remorse. She didn't question herself once.

Savannah said something else but for some reason, Dawn couldn't seem to focus on her words. She could feel her eyelids start drooping again and the room still seemed to be tilting back and forth. She felt like she was falling asleep on a seesaw. She momentarily forgot Savannah's presence and slid down in the bed, her head returning to it's place on the pillow. Savannah's voice seemed to be fading further and further away and Dawn's eyelids were too heavy to keep open any longer.

* * *

"So where is she now?" Yvonne asked.

Owen had just gotten out of the shower when she called. Of course, she had 1,001 questions on what he was working on. And she had even more questions about Sarah. Yvonne was like family to him. His mother, Amelia, was a reporter and spent quite a bit of her time hounding Yvonne at the lab, trying to get information. Over time, they became very close friends. Yvonne and her family helped Amelia, a single mother, take care of Owen and when his mother fell ill, Yvonne took it upon herself to take care of him. His mother passed away about a year after he started at the lab and Yvonne became the closest thing to a parent that he had. Lately she'd been on a mission to get him a girlfriend. Sometimes it seemed like every time he talked to a woman, Yvonne was making plans.

"Wherever she lives, I would assume," he laughed, walking into his kitchen almost tripping over Joe, his cat.

"You don't know where she lives?" Yvonne asked.

"No," Owen said, opening the refrigerator. "Why would I know that?"

"You didn't drop her off after you went to the house?"

"She wanted to take a cab," Owen shrugged, pulling out a beer.

"And you _let_ her?" Yvonne asked.

"She's an adult Vonnie, I cant just tell her she's not allowed to take a cab home," Owen laughed.

"You are going to call her the second we get off the phone to make sure she got home okay," Yvonne ordered.

"Why?" Owen asked, opening his bottle.

"Because I said so…Didn't Amelia and I teach you to be a gentleman?" Yvonne asked.

"Yes," he said, drinking some of his beer and then drying his hair with a towel.

Yvonne sighed, "How am I ever supposed to get you married?"

"Now I'm marrying a woman I've known for a few days?" Owen asked.

"You like this girl, I can tell," Yvonne accused.

"I don't even _know_ her," Owen argued.

"You don't have to," Yvonne said. "My point is..you wanna get to know her."

"According to you," he pointed out. "I think she's a cocky reporter. That's it."

"Sounds a lot like someone I used to know," Yvonne quipped.

"Oh please don't overanalyze this," Owen rolled his eyes.

"Owen Randolph Wagner," Yvonne said. "You are _not_ hopeless."

"Thank you Vonnie," he laughed.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

* * *

William walked into the bar, looking around for a familiar face. He spotted a few guys from the ring crew but they looked like they were getting ready to leave so he refrained from trying to join them. Shrugging, he decided to sit at the bar, calling for a Jack and Coke as he took his seat. Within a minute, the drink was placed in front of him and he removed the straw, taking a long drink, almost finishing it. He picked up his phone, deciding to call Lianna and see what she was doing when he felt someone sit next to him. He looked over, somewhat surprised to see Adam Copeland beside him. Adam looked apprehensive when he realized whom he'd decided to sit next to.

"I'd say hello but I'm pretty sure your whole family still wants my head on a platter," Adam said, resting his elbows on the bar.

William smirked, "You can relax, the Johnson family hasn't been into that sort of thing for years."

Adam laughed, seeming to relax a little, "You sure about that? I think I've heard Lianna plotting to have me knocked off."

"My sisters do pretty much hate you," William confirmed. "But I can understand why."

Adam nodded, looking down at the bar.

"Despite their obvious tempers and general annoying habits..Li and Vivie are both good people. They always have been," William explained. "I don't hate you because I've done worse than what you did to Jeff and V."

"Oh yeah?" Adam looked surprised.

"_Absolutely_." William nodded, "And now I'm being punished for it..Damn karma."

"How are you being punished?" Adam inquired.

"Jessica," William sighed. "I've been trying since I met her to get her to go out with me and I'm not any closer to getting her now than I was that first day. I've never had this much trouble with a woman before. Karma is the only explanation."

Adam laughed, "It couldn't be that she just doesn't like you."

"Tread lightly Copeland," William smirked. "I'll call my little sister on you."

"I know where you're coming from," Adam said. "You get every woman you want your whole life and then all of a sudden, you find yourself having feelings for someone who doesn't have those same feelings for you."

William nodded.

"And you think this cant possibly be right and you try to figure out what to do to get things on track because there's _no way_ that _you're_ the one pining away. It's not supposed to happen that way," Adam said.

William smirked, "Have we met before?"

"Listen, I know exactly what you're going through and I'm willing to bet that you're feeling things for Jessica that you haven't for other women."

William shrugged. He didn't really want to think of it that way, it made him sound whipped.

"If you really care about her," Adam said. "Then you need to let friendship be enough for a while. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen. But if you try to scheme your way into someone's heart…you only get yourself into trouble. Believe me, I know."

William found himself feeling sorry for Adam as the other man looked down at the bar.

"Can I get another Jack and Coke?" he asked the bartender. "And whatever the lady here wants."

"Very funny," Adam smirked. "I'll have a beer, thanks."

The bartender went about his duties and William patted Adam on the shoulder, "I'll think about what you said."

Adam nodded, "You should. I've messed up a lot in my life and I'm not one for regrets but…let's just say, hindsight is 20/20. If I could change what I did, I would."

* * *

"_Sarah!"_

"_What?"_

"_Michael's here."_

_Sarah looked at herself in the mirror, smiling to make sure she didn't have any lipstick on her teeth. She wore a strapless red silk dress and her blonde hair was twisted back into a bun. She took a deep breath, stepped into her shoes, hoping she didn't fall as she walked out of her room. She walked cautiously, keeping one hand close to the wall as she reached the top of the stars. She practically ran down when she saw Michael. He was wearing a cheesy black tux with a ruffled shirt, a red bow tie, and red shoes._

"_You look _fabulous_," she laughed, hugging him tightly._

"_Not nearly as good as you," he smiled, offering his arm, "M'lady."_

_She laughed, looping her arm through his._

"_I'm gonna be the luckiest guy at the prom," Michael said._

"_And ironically, the one who _isn't_ getting lucky," Sarah laughed._

"_Oh come on, just because we're going as friends doesn't mean you cant give it up in the backseat of my Camaro," he said, holding the door open for her._

"_Michael, you don't have a Camaro," Sarah laughed._

"_I know, but I figured it was appropriate."_

Sarah laughed a little, looking down at the picture of her and Michael standing in front of his car on prom night. It took a lot of pleading to get him to go to the prom. He had absolutely no interest in the dance but she desperately wanted to go and there was no way she was going alone. He kept telling her that someone would ask her and he was right. But she didn't want to go with the guys who asked. Finally, after calling him over and over again and threatening to continue her phone harassment into the night, he agreed to go with her. They had an amazing time.

She dropped the picture on the bed when her cell phone rang.

"Yes mother, he's cute _and_ single," she said, knowing her mother was calling to ask her about Owen. She called when she was out with him and heard his voice in the background.

"You think I'm cute?"

"Oh my God," Sarah clasped her hand to her mouth when she heard Owen's voice. She quickly recovered, "What makes you think I was talking about you?"

"I don't know," Owen said. "Were you?"

"No," she lied, standing up and walking over to the mirror. "Did you need anything Mr. Wagner?"

"You can call me Owen," he said.

"Okay..do you need anything..Owen?"

"I just wanted to make sure you got home safe," he said.

She was surprised at his concern, "That's nice of you."

"Well I was raised to be a gentleman," Owen said.

"Well, yes, I got back fine," Sarah said, looking over at her laptop. She was looking at the appearance schedule on the WWE's website. "And I think I have an idea. But we're gonna need plane tickets and you're gonna need a tux."

"A tux?" he repeated.

"Long story, just go with it."

* * *

1 Week Later…

"So he's finally done it," Amy laughed as Cory parked the car. "Vince McMahon has finally joined forces with the devil."

"It's true," Cory sighed, unbuckling her seatbelt. "We will be graced with the unholy presence of my mother for the next couple weeks. Starting tomorrow in fact."

Bravo, the network that aired Adelle's reality show, The Cambridge Agency, and the WWE were joining forces to throw a charity ball with all the proceeds going to the Make A Wish foundation. All superstars had been informed that morning that their attendance was required.

"Lucky us," Amy clapped her hands.

"I haven't told John she's gonna be here tomorrow," Cory said.

"Why not?" Amy smirked. "Don't think he'll be as excited as I am?"

"I think things have been frustrating enough for him with all the..interruptions we've been dealing with," Cory said, a slight bitter tone to her voice. Amy still didn't like the idea of her friend being with John but it was obvious that Cory saw something in him that Amy didn't. At this point, Amy was starting to feel bad for both of them. A week had passed since their big talk and they'd barely had a moment alone.

"Still no…?" Amy wiggled her eyebrows.

"None," Cory frowned. "_At all_."

"How long has it been?" Amy laughed.

"Longer than I would like to discuss," Cory rolled her eyes as they walked through the hotel lobby. "I have a smoothie craving, you in?"

"Why not?" Amy shrugged, following as Cory walked toward the juice bar in the lobby.

They stood in line and Amy noticed Cory's eyes darting around.

"What are you looking for?" the redhead laughed.

"My mother," she answered. "She's not due until tomorrow but she's prone to sneak attacks. She likes to catch me off guard."

Amy laughed, rolling her eyes as the line inched closer to the cashier.

Cory smiled when, apparently spotting someone she knew. When her friend started waving the person over, Amy turned around to see who she was inviting to join them. Amy tensed when she saw Matt Hardy out in the lobby. Since she'd started traveling with the company again, he'd gone pretty far out of his way to avoid her. She thought she was prepared for how he would react to her return but it hurt pretty deeply that someone she'd been so close to couldn't seem to stand the thought of being around her anymore. Cory waved again but when Matt saw Amy, he pointed at his watch, smiling apologetically at Cory before waving. Amy sighed as he walked out of sight, looking down at her boots.

"I'm sorry Am," Cory put an arm around her shoulders. "I thought maybe he'd feel more comfortable with another person around."

"Apparently he doesn't," Amy forced a laugh. "Honestly, I don't know if he'll ever be comfortable around me again."

* * *

Dave watched as beads of sweat gathered on Lianna's neck. They'd met up for a workout and he was having a lot of trouble concentrating on what he was doing with her bouncing up and down on the stair climber.

"You're staring," she smirked, twisting the cap off of her water bottle.

"Can you blame me?" he smiled.

"Not really," she shrugged, laughing.

He sat up, grabbing a towel and wiping off his shoulders, deciding this was as good a time as any to tell her about the plans he had for the night. He made reservations at a restaurant Hunter recommended and he planned a night of dinner and dancing that would hopefully end in his hotel room.

"So," he dropped the towel on the floor. "What are your plans for the evening?"

"Bowling actually," she laughed. "With Matt and Jay."

Dave rolled his eyes. He hadn't told Lianna about her bosom buddies confronting him that night in the bar. He didn't feel the need to tell her because he didn't feel threatened. But now that they were interfering with his plans, he smiled, wondering how she would react if he told her. He didn't know her that well but everyone knew she had a temper. Maybe it was time to find out just how bad it was.

"Listen…I've been meaning to talk to you about a conversation I had with those guys," he said.

"What kind of conversation?" she asked.

"Well," he hid his smile. "It all took place in a dimly lit bar…"

* * *

Viveca dropped her bags in a heap at the door to her room and started fishing through her purse for her key. She'd gone shopping that morning, only intending to buy a few things and, of course, she returned with an entire cosmetics counter and a rack full of clothes. Jeff woke up feeling sick so he stayed behind. After a few minutes of rummaging, she found her room key and opened the door as quietly as she could. Hopefully, Jeff was resting and she didn't want to wake him. She used one foot to keep the door open while she grabbed the handles of the bags, dragging them into the room.

"She's doing good Dad," she heard Jeff's voice. "I'll tell her you say Hi."

"I'm not gonna tell her she should've picked a better lookin' husband," Jeff laughed.

Viveca smiled, stepping out of her heels and leaning against the wall. She knew she should probably make her presence known but she couldn't resist a little eavesdropping.

"Yeah, she's been working in the ring a little bit lately," Jeff informed his father. "Not too good actually."

Viveca frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Honestly, I'm not all that surprised she's having trouble," Jeff laughed. "She isn't the most coordinated person in the world. She wants to blame it all on Amy but…I don't know. I think maybe she's just meant to stay out of the ring."

Viveca felt like he slapped her in the face. Jeff was the only person she'd confided in when it came to her sessions with Cory and Amy. Of course, the two women saw her get frustrated but he was the only person she talked to about how upset she was. She told him more than once how badly she wanted to be good and how hard she was trying. And here he was, making fun of her. She shook her head, stepping back into her shoes, feeling her eyes get misty as she walked out, quietly closing the door behind her.

* * *

"So your favorite color is yellow?" Dr. Tanner looked up as Taylor sat on the window sill. They'd spent the last few sessions going over a questionnaire that he had her fill out. His goal was to help her get to know herself.

She smiled, nodding, "Yeah, is that weird?"

"Not at all," he shook his head. "Not the most popular color but it's not weird."

"You wanna know why I like it?" she asked.

"I'd like to know anything you care to tell me," he said, putting down his pen and leaning back in his chair.

"Well," she said, leaning against the window. "It was my 9th birthday and I woke up and there was this _huge_ box on the floor by my bed. It was wrapped in white paper with yellow polka dots and it had this enormous yellow tulle bow."

Dr. Tanner couldn't help but notice the way Taylor's face lit up at the memory.

"I thought I was dreaming," she smiled wistfully. "My mom always got me something on my birthday, no matter what, but it was usually something small. A cheap stuffed animal or a t-shirt, sometimes just a pair of socks but this…this was the biggest, nicest present I ever saw. I started unwrapping it and I felt bad for ripping such nice paper but I _had_ to know what was in there."

"And what was it?" he asked.

"Well, once I got the paper off, I just sort of stared for a minute," she shook her head. "The box was from Bloomingdale's. I'd heard of the store but I'd _never_ been there. My heart started beating fast and I just know I had a _ridiculous_ smile on my face but I just knew whatever was in there was gonna be incredible. So finally I tear the top off and there was this _beautiful_ yellow party dress. It had little ruffles at the shoulders and white lace trim and a big full skirt. It was like something I'd seen on a doll in a toy store. And there were these little white shoes and a white purse to match, even a bow for my hair."

"Wow," Dr. Tanner smiled. "How did your parents afford that?"

"I never knew," she shrugged. "But I didn't care. They were they nicest things I ever owned. I tried to wear that dress every day. Those poor shoes got so worn down it wasn't even funny. My father got so sick of seeing it, he finally just told me I couldn't wear it anymore. He said if he saw me in it again I'd regret it. So I never put it on again…at least not when he could see me."

A childlike smile touched her lips and she laughed, "I would put that dress on almost every night once I knew he and my mother were sleeping. I would dance around in my room and pretend I was a princess, or a doll in a toy store and it was so much fun. Fortunately I didn't eat very much so it took me a while to grow out of it. The first time I tried to put it on and it didn't fit, I thought I was gonna cry for hours."

"Did you?"

"No," she shook her head. "I wanted to at first but then I just thought about how good I felt when I did wear it and it made me happy even when I couldn't put it on."

"That's a very nice memory Taylor," he said, enjoying the pleasant air in the room. Taylor seemed to be a little more comfortable in her own skin every day. Aside from a few mentions here and there, she hadn't talked about her father very much while they went over the questionnaire. Of course, they would have to get to him eventually, but he wanted to wait until she was in a better place. She definitely seemed to be on her way there.

She stood up, stretching her arms above her head and then rolling her shoulders. She was still smiling and he rested his elbows on his desk, "You seem to be in a very good mood today."

"I am," she laughed, crossing her arms. "Chris is coming to visit today."

"Ah, Chris," the doctor nodded. "He wont be attempting to break you out, will he?"

"No, there wont be any criminal activity," she smiled. "I'm hoping soon I'll be able to go home all on my own."

"Well, if things keep going the way they have been, you may not have to wait too long," he assured her. "You can have a pass from group therapy this afternoon if you'd like to spend more time with Chris."

He'd learned quickly that Chris was someone who was very important to Taylor and he sounded like a great influence. The man seemed to care a great deal for her.

"That wont be necessary," Taylor shook her head. "Chris and Jonah are gonna hang out while I'm in group. I don't want to miss it."

"That's great," he smiled. "I'm happy to hear it."

**By the way, I'm aware that this isn't the most eventful chapter but rest assured peeps, there is a reason for that. Now I'm off to finish up Ch. 15!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**You know the drill peeps, Read, Enjoy, & Review!! **

**Chapter 15...**

Paul jumped when the doorbell rang. This wasn't exactly a typical time for someone to drop by. Paula was at work and he would have been if he hadn't left early with a bad back ache. Years of working in construction had taken their toll on his body and from time to time, he just needed a break for a day. Fortunately, he'd been with the company long enough to come and go as he pleased. The bell sounded again and he got up, walking as quickly as he could manage toward the door.

"I'm coming," he grimaced at a sharp pain in his lower back.

When he finally reached it, he tightly gripped the knob to hold himself up, preparing to send whoever it was away. They were probably selling something and he wasn't interested.

He limped back, opening the door, "How can I he…"

The blue eyes fixed on him took all the words out of his mouth.

"Hello Paul."

* * *

Carter smiled as Paul stared at him with wide eyes.

"C-Carter," he stammered. "W-What are you doing here?"

He couldn't hide the smirk that played at his lips. Paul Cowell was terrified of him, he always had been. When he used to come by the house to see Frank in their younger days, he would always nervously ask if Carter was around. And if he was, Paul wasn't around for long.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked, deftly sliding past the silent older man.

He looked around the house, hearing Paul quietly close the door. The furniture was old but clean, there were pictures of Paula and her mother everywhere. When he decided he'd taken in enough of the scenery, Carter turned to Paul, thoroughly enjoying his attempt to hide his fright.

"It's uh..it's been a while Carter," Paul timidly reached out his hand.

"It has," Carter nodded, not at all interested in touching his outstretched hand.

Paul finally gave up on his pathetic gesture and wiped his palms on his pants. Beads of sweat were slowly but surely forming on his forehead.

"What's the matter Paul?" Carter asked. "You look like you're about to piss your pants."

"You just startled me..that's all," Paul answered. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be stopping by. Normally there's nobody home this time of day."

"Well, I got concerned when you left work early," Carter shrugged. "I thought I should stop by to check on you."

"How did you know I left work early?" Paul asked, his eyes widening again.

"I was watching, how else would I know?" Carter laughed. "I've been watching you for days."

"W-Why?" Paul asked. "What for?"

"I've been trying to decide when we should have this little chat," Carter answered. "You see..you and I have something we need to discuss. Why don't you have a seat? You look like you're in pain."

Paul gingerly walked over to the couch and sat down. Carter sat on an adjacent chair, his elbows resting on his knees.

"What do we need to talk about?" Paul asked.

"What did you tell your daughter and her little friend about me Paul?" Carter asked calmly.

Paul looked shocked and he shook his head, "Nothing. I didn't tell them nothing."

"Don't _lie_ Paul," Carter said, rubbing his temple. "I have had a terrible headache all day and I really don't have much patience right now. _What_ did you tell them?"

"Carter I swear, nothing," Paul insisted. "They asked me some questions but I didn't have any answers for them. What can I tell them when I don't know anything? It didn't seem to me like they knew about you and if they did, they found out on their own."

Carter closed his eyes, rolling his neck. Paul was telling the truth. He was too scared to lie.

"Is it true?" Paul asked. "They told me someone's been threatening those girls. Frank's girls. They said someone tried to kill one of 'em. Was it you?"

Carter opened his eyes and looked at Paul, nodding, "Yes."

"Why?" Paul asked. "They're you're blood-"

"Shut up Paul," Carter pointed. "Right now."

Paul obeyed, his feet tapping anxiously on the floor.

"I did not come here to answer your questions," Carter said, feeling himself getting angry. "I came here to make sure that you know what will happen if you don't make sure your daughter quits snooping around in my business. You're going to get Paula to stop this now and keep her mouth _shut_. Or…"

Carter got up, taking a deep breath.

"Or what?" Paul looked up at him.

"Carter started walking toward the door. When he reached it, he turned, "Or I'll kill your daughter…and you."

* * *

Chris waved at one of the nurses as he made his way to Taylor's room. When he got there, he was surprised to find the door open. He took a deep breath, as he usually did, before stepping inside the doorway. Words failed him though when he saw her. She was standing by the window, wearing a pair of white sweatpants and a pink tank top. She turned and smiled when she heard him enter the room and he was taken aback. She had a healthy pink flush to her cheeks that he hadn't seen in a long time. The shades were up and the sunlight was bouncing off of her blond hair, creating a halo of light around her face. He wasn't sure what to do or say. It had been a long time since he'd seen her smile a real genuine smile like that.

"Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me all day?" she smirked before holding her arms open.

He snapped out of his trance and rushed over to her, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her slender frame.

"Sorry," he smiled, smoothing a hand over her hair and then stepping back to look at her again. "You just look…"

"Slightly less like the living dead?" she smiled. "I know."

There were still dark circles under her eyes and she still looked underweight but the circles were fading away and she didn't look as.._gaunt_ and heavily medicated as she had in the not so distant past.

"Stop, you're gonna make me all self conscious," she said, her cheeks getting red as she reached out to turn his face away from her.

"I cant help it," he smiled. He couldn't explain how it made him feel to see her looking so much better. He worried about her every day, sometimes to the point where he couldn't focus on anything else.

"Dr. Tanner is really helping," Taylor explained. "I'm feeling a little better. I've been able to sleep for a few nights in a row without any strong medication."

"That's great," he smiled. He took her hands in his, "Taylor I'm really glad you're starting to feel better…I…I miss you."

She smiled at him, squeezing his hands, "I miss you too Chris. A lot."

* * *

"Can you believe that?" Viveca paced back and forth, hands on her hips. She'd gone to Lianna's room after overhearing Jeff on the phone and had barely taken a breath since she came in. "I cant believe he said that."

Lianna tried to interject, "V-"

"There are only _two_ people that I've talked to about how difficult this is for me, _you_ and _him_," Viveca shook her head. "And all this time I'm thinking that he cares and he feels bad for me and he's _laughing_ at me behind my back."

"Viveca-"

"This is important to me Li," Viveca said, folding her arms over her chest.

Lianna could understand why Viveca was upset. She was nervous about her work in the ring. She was used to being good at most things and it bothered her to no end that she couldn't seem to pick this up as quickly as she expected. But Lianna also knew that Jeff didn't mean to hurt her feelings.

"Vivie, you need to calm down," Lianna said. "Jeff loves you, you know that."

"I know," she nodded. "I know he loves me. Apparently, he just doesn't believe in me."

* * *

"Dad!" Paula called, using her back to hold the door open as she brought the groceries inside.

"I'm in the kitchen," Paul answered.

"Well thanks for coming to help me," she laughed, dragging the plastic bags into the kitchen.

She stopped when she saw him, he was sitting at the kitchen table, tapping his fingertips anxiously. He was still wearing his clothes from work.

"Dad," she dropped the bags, sitting across from him. "What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you," he said. "It's very important."

"Well I'm right here daddy, talk to me," she smiled, taking his hands in hers. They were cold and shaky. She'd never seen her father quite like this and she squeezed his hands tightly, worried.

"I don't ask a lot of you sweetheart," Paul said. "But I want..I _need_ you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"I need you to stop this," he looked into her eyes.

"Stop what?" she frowned in confusion.

"All these questions, looking for information on Frank Jennings and Taylor Vogle, this snooping around…I need you to stop," Paul pleaded with her.

Paula didn't understand why he would ask her to do such a thing. He knew that it was important to her. He knew how badly she wanted to help Taylor.

She shook her head, "You know that I cant do that."

"Yes you can," he said, his voice getting louder. He let go of her hands, "You can and you will Paula. Now I didn't know that you were asking all these questions because you and your friend decided to play detective."

"I know that and-"

"And you're done!" Paul stood up angrily. "Paula I need you to just stop this. Frank Jennings is dead and buried. I'm sorry your friend is having problems but nothing you find is going to explain those problems. The girl killed her father and she has bad dreams, that's all. Now please, just promise me you'll stop this."

Paula had never seen her father so frantic. He was usually calm and in charge of his emotions.

She nodded quietly, "Okay dad…okay. I'll stop."

He took her hands again, "Thank you…Thank you."

* * *

"This is nice," Chris looked around the garden. A few other patients were sitting at tables with their visitors. There was a small brick courtyard and there were pastel colored flowers everywhere.

"Yeah it's not bad," she shrugged, her chin resting on her hand, blue eyes looking up at the sky. "One of these days I'm gonna try and get Dr. Tanner to let us have group out here."

Chris nodded, looking down at his hands. He had something he wanted to talk to her about and he'd been dancing around it all day.

"What's on your mind?" she asked, leaning closer to him.

"What makes you think there's anything?" he looked up at her.

"I'm not so crazy that I cant see when something's going on with someone else," she laughed. "I _know_ you Chris. There's something you wanna say."

"I..I've been meaning to ask you something," he said. "Something about what you've been seeing."

"You mean my father," she nodded.

Chris nodded.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that I haven't had…whatever those were in a little while," Taylor said. She smiled sheepishly, "It's nice, you know? To be able to get through a night without seeing him…I wasn't sure that would ever happen again. I think it may have had something to do with all of the meds they were giving me. I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't. Things are still a little hazy but now they're giving me a fourth of what they were before. Dr. Tanner said that I should be feeling close to normal soon. So hopefully, no more creepy dead guy hallucinations."

"Good," Chris smiled at her.

"Listen, I gotta get to group, I don't wanna be late," she said. "Jonah's meeting you down here, right?"

"Yeah, he should be here in a few minutes," Chris nodded.

"If you don't wanna stay until I'm done, I understand," she put her hand over his.

"I'll stay," he said. "I don't mind."

"Good," she smiled. "Then I'll see you later."

Chris watched as she walked away. Once she was inside, he looked down at his hands. He was happy for her, incredibly happy. She looked better, she sounded better and she believed that she was getting better. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to what she saw.

* * *

Jessica sat on the floor in the gym, drinking some water. She'd just finished doing some floor exercises and she needed a break. She hated working out alone. Most of the people she knew were exactly the opposite. They liked to have the entire gym by themselves and have the option to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. But Jessica liked to have someone to compete with. She liked trying to one up whoever was there. Hunter was supposed to meet her but, of course, he flaked on her at the last minute, something about forgetting he had plans with Shane. He was beginning to drive her nuts. He was so caring and helpful one second, telling her how grateful he was that she survived her attack and the next second he was bailing on plans. He knew this was important to her. The doctors told her she could get back into the gym as long as she didn't do too much involving her wrist. She heard the door open and smiled, hoping Hunter had a change of heart. She stood up, turning toward the door.

She was surprised to see William walking in. He had headphones in and didn't seem to notice her standing there. He was clad in gym shorts and a t-shirt and Jessica couldn't help but laugh at the image. It wasn't that he looked bad. He just didn't look like himself. She stood, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for him to look up. He stood beside the bench press, timidly eyeing the amount of weight on the bar. She watched as he removed some pounds, then shook his head, putting them back on. Then he took a deep breath and removed them again, sitting on the end of the bench. Finally he looked up and in a rare moment of fallibility, his green eyes went wide when he saw her. He quickly pulled his earphones out and offered her a sheepish smile, "I didn't see you there."

"Obviously," she smiled.

"That was not what it looked like," he insisted. "I just..I mean, I can bench all that weight I just.."

"Right, sure," Jessica nodded.

"What are you doing down here anyway?" He tried to divert attention from himself. "Aren't you supposed to be listening to doctor's orders."

"In a way I am," she said. "The doctor said I can get back in the gym, I just cant strain myself too much."

"Maybe I'm crazy but it seems to me like just about everything here would be a strain?"

"You have a point," she laughed. "I've pretty much been on the floor since I got here."

"Well…why don't you go for a run?" he asked.

"I don't have anyone to run with me," she shrugged. She smiled, "Unless of course you want to."

"Me?" he asked. "Run?"

"Yeah, it's kinda like walking just faster," she smirked.

"I'm not a big runner," he admitted.

"That's not surprising," she nodded. "But you're a young guy, you're in pretty good shape. Come on, let's get your heart rate goin."

He smiled, "Alright…but if I pull something it's on your head."

* * *

Carter looked up when Smackdown returned from commercial. They were showing a recap of some of the events from Raw on Monday, including Victoria searching through the backstage area for Cory. Of course, Cory was nowhere to be found. Then, during Victoria's match, Cory came out of the crowd and got into the ring, grabbing the women's champion by the hair and slamming her down. The referee ended the match and the two women brawled until security was brought out to pull them apart. Some of the men held Victoria in the ring while others dragged Cory up the ramp. Cory's lip was bleeding But she had a fistful of Victoria's black hair. Victoria screamed, struggling against the security guards holding her back while Cory laughed, dropping the hair to the ground as the clip ended and Jim Ross' face appeared. For the first hour of the show, they'd been advertising a special one on one interview with JR and Cory.

"Cory, I wanna thank you for agreeing to this interview," JR said, sitting in a chair across from Cory.

"Not a problem," she shrugged.

"Now..you have been on leave from the WWE for some time now and some of our fans wondered if you would ever be back," JR said. "I don't think anyone was expecting you to return in quite the way you did, attacking Victoria as you have two weeks in a row…Now, I have some idea of why you have assaulted Victoria but I want to give you this opportunity to explain your actions to our audience."

"Thank you," she said. "Um..you're right, I was on leave for a long time. I think that everyone knows by now that I was very close to Dawn Marie and I've been pretty deeply affected by what's happened. She was my best friend and…I lost my passion for a lot of things, especially this business. I really didn't plan on coming back…But then I was watching Raw and I heard Victoria make one of the most distasteful comments I think I've ever heard. It doesn't matter that she wasn't close to Dawn, it doesn't matter how long it's been, or how funny she thought it was. I didn't laugh. Her family didn't laugh. The fans didn't laugh. I just…I just saw red."

"Your anger is completely understandable," JR said. "But some would say that maybe you're not handling it in the right way."

"Victoria is lucky she's only gotten knocked around a few times. Believe me JR, if I had my way, she wouldn't be walking around talking all the shit she is right now. You see, Victoria talks a big game. All that hoopla and looking for me backstage on Monday, telling everyone what she was going to do to me…That's all an act. What she doesn't want you to know is that she actually hired security to stand outside her hotel room door at night because she's afraid of what I'll do. And you know what…that's probably a smart move on her part. Since Eric Bischoff has taken over as GM of both Raw and Smackdown in Stephanie's absence, he's the go to guy. And I've asked him more than once for a match with her."

"And what did he say?" JR asked.

"He said no," Cory smiled bitterly, shaking her head. "He said the situation is a little too combustible. He said it's probably not the kind of women's match the fans would want to see. It wouldn't bring in ratings."

JR shook his head, "So what now? Just how long is this going to go on between you two?"

"As long as it takes," she shrugged.

"I wanna thank you again for sitting down with me Cory," JR said as they both stood up, shaking hands. "And-"

He was cut off when the door opened and in the blink of an eye, Victoria had jumped on Cory's back and driven her to the floor.

JR jumped out of the way as the women struggled, pushing each other into the wall, knocking over furniture.

"Somebody get in here!" JR made it to the door, yelling out into the hallway as Victoria picked up a lamp. Before she could throw it, security guards entered the room. They split up, half of them dragging Cory out of the room while the other half held Victoria inside. The women screamed at each other as the show went to commercial.

Carter stared at the TV for a few seconds. She was a good actress, that was for sure. Those pathetic tears welling in her eyes as she talked about her so called friend. If he didn't know better, he would actually believe that she cared about the missing woman. But she didn't. She couldn't. She was just like her mother. She didn't care about anyone but herself.

He turned to his desk, looking at the pictures he had pinned to the wall. It didn't take long to find the one he was looking for. He pulled it down, bile rising up into his throat as he looked at Adelle and his brother. Frank was smiling into the camera. Adelle was smiling as well but she was looking off to the side. It was one of very few pictures of them together. Frank always said he wished he had more but Adelle insisted that it wouldn't be a good idea. She didn't want them to be photographed together because the pictures could get around. She told Frank to his face more than once that he wasn't good enough for her but he just couldn't stay away from her. Carter could still remember the smile on Frank's face when he came to his house to tell Carter that Adelle was pregnant with Cory. Frank said right away that they were having a girl. He said he just knew. He could feel it. He bought a ring for Adelle, he asked Carter for advice on how to propose and then…Adelle married Ethan Samms. She yanked the rug right out from under him. She told him he'd never see her daughter.

There were many people that Carter deemed responsible for his brother's death but no one more than Adelle. She was the only person in the world that Frank would bow down for and she broke him.

"I'll make her pay," Carter said, looking at Frank in the picture. "Everything that happens…it's gonna be her fault..And then she's gonna pay big brother."

He was going to keep that promise if it killed him, but to make sure he could, he was beginning to think he needed to lay low for a while. Just long enough to get Chris and Paula off of his trail.

* * *

Hunter walked into the restaurant, slightly unnerved to see that Mark and John were the only ones at the table. A bunch of people were supposed to be meeting for dinner and he was hoping not to get stuck spending too much time talking to John. He felt more awkward around him every day but of course, John didn't seem to notice. He was so busy on cloud nine with Cory that he couldn't be bothered.

Mark spotted him and held up his beer, waving him over. Hunter was hoping that Mark would have a dry night. It had become a rarity to see him without an alcoholic beverage. He wasn't always drunk but he was on his way there more often than not.

"Gentlemen," Hunter smiled, sitting down. "I miss anything interesting?"

"Nothing," Mark shook his head. "I was just asking John here how things are going with Cory. I haven't seen much of either of them lately."

"Doesn't mean we're together," John sighed. "I haven't seen much of her."

"You mean you haven't seen her or you haven't seen _much of_ her?" Hunter smirked.

"Watch it," Mark pointed.

"We've both been really busy," John shrugged. "I mean, we haven't even gone to dinner alone. I know it's gonna be a rough week for her with the memorial coming up and everything. I'm just waiting to see how things go after that."

"How's Dawn's mom doing?" Hunter asked Mark. He couldn't imagine how the mother would be feeling days before her daughter's memorial service.

"She's doing as well as can be expected," Mark answered quickly. "How about we talk about something else?"

"So…Mrs. Rutledge will be here tomorrow," Hunter granted his friend's request.

"What?" John frowned.

"She's helping plan the Make A Wish thing," Hunter reminded them. "Jessica said she'll be here tomorrow."

"Oh that's just great," John rolled his eyes. "It's not bad enough that I cant have five minutes alone with Cory, now I have to deal with that dragon lady breathing fire down my neck."

"That sounds like a horribly unpleasant experience."

Hunter looked up when he heard the woman's voice and his mouth dropped open when he saw Adelle standing behind John. All the color drained from Cena's face and he stood awkwardly, "Mrs. Rutledge, it's..it's nice to see you."

"I'm sure it is," Adelle ignored his hand, walking past him and coming over to Hunter.

"Nice to see you Mrs. Rutledge," Hunter stood as she hugged and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hunter, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Adelle?" she beamed at him. She turned to Mark, extending her hand, "It's nice to see you again."

"Always a pleasure Adelle," Mark raised his beer.

"Where is my daughter?" Adelle turned back to Hunter. "I called her on my way in but she didn't answer."

"Um.." Hunter tried to think. He hadn't talked to Cory all day.

John's phone started ringing and he pulled it out of his pocket, "Actually, this is her right now."

Adelle sat beside Hunter looking slightly annoyed as John answered the phone, "Hey, where are you?"

John smiled at something Cory said and Adelle looked over at Hunter, rolling her eyes.

He tried not to laugh but he couldn't help but be amused at her actions. It was refreshing to be around someone who didn't think John and Cory were the perfect couple. It didn't hurt that the disapproving person was her mother.

"Okay I'll see you when you get here…Yeah Mark's here….Okay. Bye."

"She should be here any minute," John informed the table.

"Good," Adelle smiled. "Then you wont mind if I join you."

* * *

"What time is she supposed to be here?" Matt asked as he and Jason leaned against his car outside the bowling alley.

"About 20 minutes ago," Jason checked his watch. "But she's always late. You know that."

"I'm gonna call and see how long she'll be," Matt pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Don't bother. I'm right here."

Matt turned around, surprised to see Lianna standing on the sidewalk wearing a dark blue dress and heels.

"A little overdressed for bowling, aren't ya?" Jason smirked.

"I would be if I were going," she walked up to them. "I was on my way to dinner and thought I'd stop by and tell you guys."

"You couldn't have told us this earlier?" Matt asked.

"No, I couldn't," she shook her head. "I figured you deserved to wait a little while."

Jason sighed, "You talked to Dave, huh?"

"Yeah, I did," she nodded. "I talked to Dave and he told me that you two took it upon yourselves to tell him he couldn't date me."

Matt ran a hand through his hair, "Li, we were just trying to-"

"Meddle in my love life?" she finished his sentence. "Yeah, I got that."

Jason smiled at her, "Come on, we're your friends."

"Yeah, you are," she nodded. "And as long as you mind your own damn business from now on…you'll stay that way. Goodnight."

* * *

Jeff walked out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around his waist. He smiled, admiring the view as he leaned against the wall. Viveca had come back from her shopping trip while he was in the shower and now she was getting ready for dinner. They were supposed to meet some of their coworkers in the restaurant attached to the hotel.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you look in pink?" he smiled. She was standing in front of the mirror in a pink lace bra and panties.

"I see you're feeling better," she said, leaning closer to the mirror as she ran a brush through her hair. "Good to know."

"Get anything good when you were shopping?" he asked.

"The bags are right over there if you wanna look," she said, her tone unusually cold. She hadn't looked at him once. Usually Viveca couldn't keep her eyes off of him after he finished a shower.

"Are you okay?" he asked, walking over to her. He stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm just peachy," she shrugged his hands away. "You might wanna hurry up, we're running late."

"Too late for…" he smirked, trying to wrap his arms around her.

"Yeah, too late for that," she pushed his hands away, walking over to her suitcase.

Jeff frowned, watching as she rifled through her clothes. When she left that morning everything seemed fine. He hadn't seen her all day and now she seemed ready to blow.

"Are you mad at me about something?" he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Why would I be mad Jeff?" she asked, quickly pulling on a pair of jeans. "You never do anything wrong right?"

"Um…I'm not really sure how to answer that," he said, completely confused.

"You know what?" she pulled a black silk shirt out of her bag and yanked it on over her head. "Don't bother answering it at all. I'll see you downstairs."

With that, she grabbed her cell phone and her keys and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Jeff watched the door dumbfounded.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked out loud, looking around the room. Then, he looked at the door again, wondering how long it would take her to realize she didn't have any shoes on. The door opened a few seconds later and she came back in, stepping into her shoes.

"V-"

She put a hand up, walking out and slamming the door again.

* * *

Cory slipped her phone into her purse as she walked into the restaurant, looking around for her friends. She spotted Mark first and began making her way toward the table until an uninvited guest stopped her in her tracks. There, at the table with her friends, was her mother, practically sitting in Hunter's lap.

She quickly looked toward the door, wondering if she could get out before anybody noticed her but it was too late. Adelle stood up, smiling and waving at her.

She pasted on a smile, walking over as if someone was pushing her.

"Hey everyone," she smiled, glaring at John. Her mother looked too comfortable to have just arrived which meant John deliberately kept her in the dark. She would have to think of a way to make him pay for that later.

"Hello dear," her mother walked over, giving her a quick hug and an air kiss.

_You set me up,_ Cory mouthed at John and he shrugged.

"You look tired," Adelle said, brushing Cory's bangs out of her eyes.

"Thank you," Cory smirked, looking around for a seat.

Adelle, who was sitting in the seat between John and Hunter, pointed to the seat on Hunter's other side, "Why don't you sit down?"

Cory rolled her eyes. Subtlety was never her mother's strong suit. She couldn't understand why Adelle was so disapproving of John when she hadn't bothered to try and get to know him.

John said something quietly to Mark and then the men switched seats.

"Why don't you sit here?" John patted the empty seat beside him.

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully. She leaned over, whispering in his ear, "Why didn't you tell me she was here?"

"Why didn't you tell me she was coming?" John returned.

"I was going to tell you later," Cory answered. "I was hoping she wouldn't do this."

"I bet you're wondering what I'm doing here," Adelle smiled across the table at her daughter.

"Sort of," Cory said. "I thought you weren't going to be here until tomorrow."

"That was the plan but I thought I'd surprise you," Adelle said, pulling a compact out of her purse and quickly checking her makeup. "And I wanted to tell you something I'm very excited about."

"Your show got picked up for another season?" Cory suggested, picking up John's beer.

"Of course it did dear, that wasn't in question," Adelle said. "I wanted to be the one to inform you that you will be co-hosting the Make-A-Wish benefit with me."

"Excuse me?" Cory nearly choked on the beer.

"That's great," Hunter smiled.

She glared at him and he shrugged.

"I thought you'd be excited," Adelle said. "We'll have so much time together with all the planning."

This was classic Adelle Spencer. She was like a spider, trapping her prey.

The last thing Cory wanted was to spend her free time picking out evening gowns with her mother.

"You know what," she winced. "That would be absolutely _lovely_ but I-"

"Cant get out of it dear," Adelle smiled sweetly. "It's already been advertised. You wouldn't want to disappoint your fans."

* * *

Amy wrung her hands for a second, standing at Jeff and Viveca's door. She was in the room next door and earlier she heard Jeff and Viveca fighting. From what she heard since they got back together, they were the perfect little couple. Amy couldn't help but wonder if that was true.

She lightly knocked and after a brief pause, Jeff opened the door, "Hey, Amy..what are you doin' here?"

"I was on my way downstairs," she said. "You're comin' to dinner, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I sorta lost my date."

"Well you're in luck," she smiled. "I'm also without a date. Wanna head down together?"

"Why not?" he smiled. "Just let me get my room key in case my wife decides to lock me out tonight."

"You guys have a bad fight?" she asked, leaning against the door frame, watching as he picked up his keys.

"She's mad at me and I cant figure out why," Jeff shrugged. "You women are very confusing, you know that?"

"Not all of us," she smiled. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

"So I was asked a few days ago how I felt getting a clothesline from hell at the pay per view," Lianna laughed. "Of course I said I'd do it but considering John doesn't seem _terribly_ fond of me, I'm a little nervous."

"He's not terribly fond of anyone," Dave laughed. "Especially not the girls. Once you've been around for a year or so, he'll let up."

"Good to know," she laughed, taking a bite of her food. She put her fork down and gave him a more serious expression, "I wanted to apologize again for Matt and Jason. They shouldn't have said anything to you."

"You're right, they shouldn't have," Dave smirked. "But it's not a big deal. It's not like they scared me away."

"I'm glad they didn't," she smiled.

"Listen…I was thinking that after this," he smiled, taking her hand. "You and I could go upstairs to my room and talk."

She smiled, "Go upstairs and talk?"

"Yeah, you know, just..get to know each other a little better," he smiled, rubbing his thumb across her hand.

"Dave…there's something I should probably tell you," she pulled her hand away.

"What?" he asked, nervous. She couldn't be a virgin, could she? She certainly didn't look like a virgin.

"No, I'm not a virgin," she smirked.

"Are you a mind reader?" he laughed, feeling strangely uncomfortable.

"No, I could just read the look on your face," she laughed. "And I know that you're not inviting me up to your room because you wanna share childhood memories."

"What makes you think that?" he asked, keeping a charming smile on his face. He had to admit that he was a little rattled.

"Dave..I like you," she said. "I think you're very attractive and charming but…I'm not gonna sleep with you. Not yet."

"You're not?" he asked, amused.

"Nope," she shook her head. "If that's not okay with you then I'm fine with just being friends."

Dave was confused, very confused. She didn't seem like a prude or someone who would save herself. She admitted she was attracted to him but she was telling him she wouldn't sleep with him. He couldn't tell if he was completely turned off or a little turned on.

"Why exactly are you not going to sleep with me?" he leaned closer to her.

She smiled, leaning close to him, "You haven't earned it yet."

* * *

"So John, the rumor on the internet is that you're gonna become the number one contender at Survivor Series," Mark smirked. "That true?"

"I wish I knew," John smirked, looking over at Hunter. "It'd be nice to get a shot at the champ."

"Don't get too excited," Hunter smirked. "A shot doesn't mean you're gonna win."

"Careful Hunter, you sound a little scared," John smiled.

Viveca laughed, shaking her head, "Boys, put those things away. It's rude when there's food on the table."

"Speaking of rude, Mark looked toward the door. "What's that all about?"

Viveca turned toward the door and was slightly surprised to see Jessica and Will walking toward the table arm in arm. She was about to ask Mark what was so bad about that when she saw something behind them.

Jeff and Amy were walking into the restaurant together. Amy had her arm looped through Jeff's and they were both laughing.

"That's a damn good question Mark," Viveca said, her eyes narrowing. When they reached the table, Amy quickly took a seat across the table from Viveca, smiling as she greeted everyone. Viveca rolled her eyes as she felt Jeff sit next to her.

"You still hate me?" he smirked, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

She put a hand up to block his lips, "Yeah..I do."

* * *

Dawn rolled around in bed, trying her best to get her eyes to open. Her eyelids felt like they were taped shut. As usual, her head felt like she was in a washing machine.

"Wake up Dawn."

She froze when she heard the voice. This wasn't a voice she was used to hearing anymore. It was a low, husky voice she'd longed for every day.

Mark.

Finally, she was able to open her eyes and there he was, sitting beside the bed. He looked at her with those green eyes and she tried to leap off the bed to get to him. Her arms were held to the bedposts by leather bonds and she felt sharp pain in her shoulders when she tried to move.

"Mark," she cried. "Help me, get me out of these."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, "Why should I?"

"What?" she stopped moving, staring at him.

"Why should I help you?" he asked. "You got yourself into this."

Those words hurt more than any physical pain she'd endured throughout this entire ordeal. Mark was looking at her with no feeling. No sympathy, no love…Nothing.

"No I didn't," she shook her head. "Mark-"

"You lied to me," he said.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I felt like I had to."

"You've been sitting here all these months, missing me, thinking about how much you love me but..you could have had everything you wanted. I told you I loved you. I told you I wanted you back but you pushed me away and you left…And now you want me to help you."

Tears were streaming down Dawn's face now and she struggled against her bonds, desperately wanting to reach out and touch him.

"Mark I-"

He put up a hand, standing up. "Don't bother. I'm done here."

"Mark!" she yelled as he walked out of the room. "_MARK_!"

* * *

Savannah smiled, standing just outside the door to the bedroom. It was cracked and she could see Dawn struggling against imaginary bonds, screaming after Mark. This wasn't just a bad dream. Dawn's eyes were wide open. Her arms weren't bound but she was holding her wrists against the bed posts like she couldn't move. She was hallucinating. She was screaming Mark's name at the door, her voice cracking.

Savannah shut the door, smiling. Things were going exactly as she'd planned.

**Okay peeps, I know you're wondering what's up with the lack of John and Cory interaction so to make up for it, I'm gonna give you a quick preview of what's to come in Ch. 16...**

**The day of Dawn's memorial arrives..**

**John and Cory share a very special moment..**

**Glenn and Jacinda introduce baby Shelby..**

**Lianna makes a surprising discovery about Amy..**

**Now, I'll work on getting this to you in a week if you do something for me...Review!!**


	16. Chapter 16

**I am so so sorry to those of you who have been loyal readers, I lost my drive for writing for a while there, hence the lack of updates. I didn't want to force it and give you crap to read so I backed off for a bit. But I'm back now, I wrote all day and I plan to write into the night. I hope you enjoy my work and please, please keep the reviews coming. Reading over some old ones was what got me back in the swing of things. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 16...**

_Four Days Later…_

"So what is this idea and why does it require me wearing one of these?" Owen walked out of the dressing room feeling incredibly uncomfortable. It took work to put on a shirt and tie for work every day, a tux was asking a lot.

"Saturday night at the American Museum of Natural History, there's a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Cory Samms and her mother are hosting. If we go there, we can try and talk to her. I think if we can get _her_ on board with us, it'll be a lot easier to get Mark Callaway to talk to us."

"Makes sense," Owen said, frowning down at himself. "But why the tux?"

"Because it's black tie and we wont have you embarrassing us," Yvonne explained, straightening his tie.

"This one's good," Sarah said. "But let's try another one."

"_Another_ one?" Owen stared at the two women.

"Yes, another one," Yvonne pushed him back into the dressing room. "And hurry up, Sarah and I have dresses to buy."

* * *

Jeff cut the slices of French toast in half and then pulled the syrup out of the microwave, setting it down on the tray. He looked over the spread, making sure he had all of Viveca's favorites; French toast with syrup and powdered sugar on the side, a plate full of bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese, coffee and a strawberry smoothie. She'd barely spoken to him since they arrived at their North Carolina home and it was driving him crazy. She wasn't angry or yelling at him, she was just quiet and distant. He would have preferred some yelling, then he wouldn't have felt like he was married to a stranger all of a sudden. She'd gotten up early that morning, another thing that was unusual for her. When he got up, he decided to make her the best peace offering he could think of: food.

"Baby," he called, picking up the tray. He picked up the tray, walking into the family room, expecting to see her curled up on the couch, watching TV. To his surprise, she wasn't sitting with her favorite blanket. He searched for her for a few minutes before he realized where she was. He walked back to the kitchen and then out the back door. Viveca always claimed to hate being out in nature but he often found her sitting out in the yard at a picnic table he'd placed just beyond the tree line.

As he approached the table, he spotted her sitting on top of it in one of his sweatshirts and jeans. She had her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her leg. A cold breeze swept through the area, lifting her brown waves.

"Hey there," he smiled, setting the tray down and sitting on the bench. She was looking off into the forest and he had to lean back to see her face.

"Hey," he put his hand on her knee. "I made you breakfast."

She turned her face to him and he could see the sparkle of tears in her green eyes but she forced a smile, "Thanks honey."

Jeff felt a tug at his heart the way he always did when he saw her crying. He knew why she was emotional. In 24 hours, they would be in New Jersey at Dawn's memorial. Viveca tried not to talk about it but he knew how deeply she missed Dawn. He missed her too. He often found himself thinking about the way Dawn encouraged him to follow his heart with Viveca. She saw something between them before anyone else did.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles.

She sniffed, nodding before looking away again, "Yeah just…tomorrow's gonna be hard."

"I know," he said, standing up and taking her other hand. "But you know I'm gonna be right there with you."

She nodded, still not looking at him.

He sighed, stepping closer to her, "V..is there something else going on?"

She looked up at the sky, trying to blink away tears before taking a deep breath, "You know…I really cant talk right now. I need to go back inside and pack."

"Pack?" Jeff frowned. "I thought you were done packing for tomorrow."

"I was," she nodded. "But I decided to go and see Taylor after the memorial is over. Chris says she's doing really well and it's been forever since I went to visit."

She hadn't mentioned this to him at all.

"Do you want me to go with you?" he asked.

"No thank you," she shook her head, gently pulling her hands away from his. "I'd rather go alone."

Jeff nodded, trying not to be offended, "Do you uh..want me to bring this inside?"

"Sure," she nodded, putting her hands in her pockets. "I'll try to eat when I'm done packing."

She gave him an awkward half-smile before walking quickly toward the house. Jeff watched after his wife wondering what it was going to take to get things back to normal. He had to find out what was bothering her.

* * *

John walked through the hotel lobby, rubbing his temples. He rarely ever got headaches but in the past few days, he couldn't get his temples to stop throbbing.

"Mr. Cena."

The pain in his head doubled when he heard the voice behind him. He froze, closing his eyes as the sound of heels clicking came closer and closer.

"Mrs. Rutledge," he sighed, turning around. "Today is really not the day."

"I'm coming from a cordial, non threatening place, I assure you," she put a hand up. "I know what a rough time this is for you and the last thing I want to do is bother you."

"Then what is it that you want?" he asked, not in the mood to try and be nice to her.

"This is incredibly difficult for me to admit but..I need your help," Adelle sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I want Cory to come to dinner at my house tonight. I've already invited Mark and he agreed to come."

"Really?" John was surprised. Mrs. Rutledge wasn't quite as negative toward Mark as she was with most people but the fact that he would agree to dinner at her house caught John off guard.

"Yes," Adelle nodded. "I'd like for Cory to be there and you're the only person who can get her to agree."

"Did you ask Mark?" John crossed his arms over his chest.

"No I didn't bother," Adelle shook her head. "I figured being…whatever you are to her, you would be the best person to get her there."

"And _why_ would I get her there?" John frowned. "Tonight is gonna be a rough night and-"

"And I want to be there for my daughter," Adelle interrupted. "Obviously we aren't the closest family in the world and I don't often have the chance to do anything for Cory anymore. I just..I just want to spend some time with her tonight. I want to know that she's safe and sober. Please."

John rubbed his forehead, "If I get her to agree to come and you upset her-"

"You can be right by her side. And I'll be on my best behavior," she put her hand up again. "You have my word."

This was the first time since he'd met her that Adelle seemed truly sincere. John rubbed his forehead, hoping he wouldn't regret what he was about to say, "Okay…I'll do my best."

* * *

"She told you she's never gonna sleep with you?" Hunter asked, signing the paper the hotel clerk handed to him. He and Dave both arrived in New Jersey a day early and they were getting checked into the hotel.

"She didn't say never," Dave corrected. "She just said I haven't earned it yet."

"And you said…" Hunter gestured for him to continue.

"I didn't know what to say," Dave said. "What would you have said?"

"I have no idea," Hunter laughed. "So..what are you gonna do?"

"If I say I'm gonna try to get her in bed, are you gonna call me an asshole?" Dave laughed.

"Probably," Hunter nodded. "Do you like her?"

"I barely know her," Dave shrugged. "I'm not trying to figure that out."

"So what _are_ you trying to do?" Hunter laughed. He remembered a time when he was a lot like his friend. It was before he developed feelings for Jessica. He ran through women for sport and had a damn good time doing it. But now..that kind of life didn't hold nearly as much appeal.

"I feel challenged," Dave admitted.

"I don't think she was insulting your manhood by telling you she's not gonna have sex with you," Hunter laughed as Dave signed in. "You don't have to do it just to prove her wrong."

"When you say it like that, it just sounds mean," Dave laughed. "I'm not gonna try just to prove her wrong…I'm gonna try to prove myself right."

"Whatever," Hunter shook his head. "Just don't let Jeff and Viveca find out what you're up to. They'll have your head."

"Don't worry," Dave smiled. "As far as they know, I'll be the perfect gentleman."

"So do you two have plans tonight?" Hunter asked.

Dave shook his head, "She's watching movies tonight with Matt and Jason."

"And you're not worried about either of them?" Hunter raised a brow.

"Hardy and Reso?" Dave laughed. "Not one bit."

* * *

Cory ran her brush through her wet hair, staring at herself in the mirror. The day before, she'd gone to the salon and gotten her hair dyed a very dark shade of brown. Her mother would undoubtedly hate it but she couldn't help it. She had a tendency to make physical changes when she was stressed. Fortunately, she didn't have her mother's affinity for plastic surgery. She dropped the silver brush on the floor, not even flinching at the sound of it crashing against the marble. She frowned at her reflection, not quite sure what to do with herself. She'd turned her phone off, she was trying her best to clear her head but she just couldn't. All she could think about was the speech she was supposed to give the next morning. She'd taken a shower and already had three rather large glasses of wine to try and calm her nerves.

She heard a faint buzzing sound and when she opened the bathroom door she realized that it was someone buzzing the front door. She wasn't used to the sound because she rarely heard it. Usually once Tony, the doorman, let someone up, she just unlocked the door so they could come in on their own. She briefly considered ignoring it but it was probably Tony himself. He had come up earlier and offered to take the dogs for a walk.

She slowly made her way downstairs, making sure her robe was tied tightly. She pasted on her best smile as she swung the door open, "Thanks so much for…"

She trailed off when she saw John. Her smile fell but not out of disappointment. She just knew she didn't have to fake it for him.

"Nice hair," he nodded to her dark mane.

"I was bored," she shrugged. "How'd you get up here?"

"Tony seems to think I'm your boyfriend," he smirked as he walked in and she shut the door. "He's feeding the dogs downstairs. He said he'll bring them back up in a little while."

"I'm not sure I'm okay with him letting riff raff up to my apartment without my permission," she tried for a joke.

"That's cute," he smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear and the pulling her to him, kissing her forehead. "What are you doing tonight?"

"I was planning on drinking a few bottles of wine and passing out somewhere over there," she pointed to the floor near the couch. "You're more than welcome to join me if you like."

"I had something else in mind," he took her hand. "Your mother came to see me today."

"Oh great," she rolled her eyes. "She just cant help herself I swear to-"

"She was nice," John cut her off.

Cory stopped, staring at him, "And you're sure this was _my_ mother?"

"Positive," John nodded.

"Then she wanted something from you," she crossed her arms over her chest. "What?"

"She wants us to come to dinner at her house tonight," he answered.

Cory laughed, walking over and sitting on the couch. She stopped when she realized that John hadn't joined in her amusement, "You're serious, aren't you?"

"I told her I would ask you," John nodded. "And uh..I think we should go."

"You can go if you want to," Cory said in a stubborn tone. "I think I prefer the company of my dogs."

"Mark is gonna be there," John added.

"What? Why?" Cory stood up.

"She invited him to come to. She said she didn't want him to be alone and I guess he liked the thought of a home cooked meal."

"Home cooked my ass, the chef has the day off today," Cory said.

"Cory come here," he took her hand, pulling her close to him. She looked away, unable to comprehend why he thought this was a good idea.

"Look, I know how you feel about your mother," he said. "And I understand it, I'm not exactly her biggest fan either but…she wants to do something nice for you. She's concerned for you and she's trying to reach out. Who knows? Maybe she's turning over a new leaf."

She gave him an incredulous look and he laughed, "Okay maybe that was too far but come on..just..do it for me. Please?"

She sighed deeply, rolling her eyes. She didn't have as much faith in her mother's sincerity as John did but she couldn't refuse when he asked her that way.

"Fine, I will go _for you_," she sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "But if we get into one of our fights-"

"I will make it up to you," he gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "I promise."

Cory smiled, kissing him before either of them could say anything else. His hands ran over her damp hair as the kiss deepened and she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to her. One of his hands left her hair and trailed down to the robe that held her belt closed. She smiled against his lips as he started untying the knot. She felt a moan escape her as his hand slid under the fabric, making contact with her skin. She reveled in the feel of his hands and mouth. They rarely had a moment alone and she fully intended to enjoy this. She could tell John was enjoying himself too as he pressed himself against her. She brushed her hand over the front of his pants and he smiled, lifting her up so her legs wrapped around his waist and carrying her over to the couch. He sat down with her on top of him, finally breaking their kiss to lean back and look at her.

"You are so beautiful, you know that?" he reached up, brushing his thumb under her bottom lip.

"You're not so bad yourself," she leaned forward, kissing his lips again.

He slid his hands under the robe, slowly sliding it off over her shoulders.

Then a loud buzz broke through their lust filled trance.

"I must have been a horrible person in a past life," John 's head fell back.

Cory sighed, getting up and tying her robe, "That must be Tony with the dogs."

* * *

"I don't know what to tell you little brother," Matt said, feeling sorry for Jeff. He and Viveca were close friends and she told him a lot but whatever was going on was a mystery to him.

"I don't know what I did," Jeff sighed. "She never acts like this."

"Maybe it's that time of the month," Matt shrugged. "Women get all moody when that happens."

"I'd know if it were that time," Jeff laughed. "She eats like crazy and keeps a bunch of chocolate in her purse. And she'd be staring at her face every five minutes looking for pimples."

"It scares me that you know that much," Matt laughed.

"Trust me, when you get married, you'll know ever single sign that it's that time," Jeff laughed.

"Well…" Matt held the phone to his ear with his shoulder while he used both hands to look around for his remote control. He tried to think of what could be plaguing his sister in law. She was normally a person who spoke her mind, if she was keeping it to herself, it had to be a big deal.

Matt stopped his search when it hit him, "I've got it."

"What?"

"I can only think of one other thing that would make a woman all moody and hormonal," Matt said. "And one thing Viveca might be afraid to talk to you about."

"What?" Jeff asked, impatient."

"She's pregnant."

* * *

"I'm only here because of you two," Cory frowned, resting her chin on her hand as they waited for her mother to finish a call in the next room.

"I thought it might be nice to have a good meal," Mark shrugged. "Besides, I'd rather spend the night around you two than alone at a bar."

Cory reached over, putting her hand over his.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes, undoubtedly thinking about the task that faced them in the morning.

"I thought you said the cook was off today," John looked over at Cory.

"He usually is, mother's probably paying him extra to work today," Cory shook her head.

"Hey, just try to be positive for a little while, okay?" John rubbed her back.

Cory sighed, rolling her eyes as her mother finally entered the room.

"I apologize for that," Adelle smiled as she took her seat. "It's been a very busy time trying to get a few last minute things settled for the Make-A-Wish benefit. The food should be out any minute. Cory dear, you know you shouldn't rest your elbows on the table."

Cory tensed and John gave her mother a look.

"I apologize dear, force of habit," Adelle smiled. "You're an adult and you can do as you please."

"Right," Cory said. "Let's just get through this dinner quickly, shall we?"

* * *

Lianna pulled a sweatshirt on over her tank top and tossed a blanket onto the couch. Despite the heat being on in her hotel room, she was absolutely freezing. She looked at the clock, seeing that Matt and Jason would be there any minute. She was starving so she desperately hoped they would show up on time. As if on cue, she heard knocking at her door.

She stepped into a pair of slippers and walked to the door, smiling as she caught the scent of pizza in the air.

"Well, well, if it isn't High Voltage and Christian Cage," she smiled, opening the door for them. Matt had a six pack of soda in each hand and Jason was carrying two pizzas.

"You think you got enough food?" Lianna smirked.

"I thought about getting another one but Matt said you only get two pieces," Jason laughed, walking in and putting the pizza on the coffee table.

"Well if Matt wants to enjoy the Friday the 13th marathon, he better change his tune," Lianna pointed at him.

"Friday the 13th?" Matt sat down on the couch. "I'm impressed munchkin."

"Call me munchkin again and I'll knock your hair straight," she pointed, sitting on the other end of the couch and pulling her blanket over her legs.

"Children, children," Jason picked up the DVDs and opened the first one. "Can you two behave for one night?"

* * *

Jeff paced back and forth outside the bedroom, listening to the sounds of Viveca's bare feet shuffling around on the carpet. She had told him earlier that she wanted to get to bed earlier. She never, _ever_ went to bed early. Even when they got into fights. He remembered hearing somewhere that pregnant women slept a lot. What if Matt was right? What if she was pregnant and she didn't know how to tell him?

He took a deep breath, walking into the room, pasting on a big smile. She was clad in one of his t-shirts and a pair of pink pajama pants. The clothes fit loosely and he resisted the urge to try and get her shirt off just to get a look at her stomach.

"Hey there."

She looked up at him, expressionless, "Hi."

"You uh..you gettin' ready for bed?" he asked as she pulled back the comforter.

"Looks like it Jeff," she nodded, climbing up onto the mattress.

"Are you sure you wanna go to bed so early babe?" he asked. "I mean..you haven't even had a glass of wine yet. I know sometimes that helps you sleep when you have a stressful day. I could go get you one."

"I don't want a glass of wine," she shook her head.

"Are you feeling okay?" he sat beside her.

"I feel fine, I just don't want wine," she shrugged. "I just want to get some sleep. I'm exhausted."

"Have you been feeling tired a lot lately?" he asked.

"No," she frowned.

"Do your feet hurt or anything?"

"No, Jeff, what is your problem?" she looked annoyed. "I just want to go to bed. Goodnight."

Without another word, she turned the light off, pulling the covers over her head, effectively ending the conversation.

Jeff sighed, leaning back against the headboard. Something was definitely not right.

* * *

"Well that was fun," Cory stood up, helping her mother's chef, Randall, clear the table. So far the night had been incredibly awkward. Cory spent most of the night talking to Mark and John and when Adelle did join the conversation, the men got so quiet, mother and daughter ended up the only people talking and that never lasted for very long. Cory didn't know how to deal with her mother when she was like this. She was trying her best to be nice but it seemed so painfully forced.

Cory and Randall took the plates to the kitchen and when she returned to the dining room, Mark's phone rang and he excused himself from the room to answer it.

"Dear it's late," Adelle said. "Why don't you just..spend the night here?"

Cory stared at her, "Excuse me?"

"It's a bit of a drive to your apartment and you've had a few glasses of wine," Adelle shrugged.

"John didn't drink," Cory said. "How about I just let him drive? Hm?"

"Or how about you just stay here because you're obviously tired," Adelle smiled. "You can stay in your old room or any other room you choose, it's up to you."

Cory made a face. Her mother had always been pushy but this was just strange.

"Tell you what mother, I'll stay if John stays," Cory smiled a mischievous smile, raising her eyebrows in challenge. There was no way Adelle would agree to that.

Adelle tensed but recovered quickly. She smiled over at John, "You are more than welcome to spend the night. We have plenty of room."

One of Cory's brows fell and she stared, surprised. She knew she'd had a lot to drink but she didn't think she had enough to hallucinate.

"John would you..give us a moment alone please?" Adelle requested.

Cory looked at him but he was leaving before she could say a word.

Cory picked up a wine bottle, filling her glass.

"Cory…" Adelle placed a hand on her shoulder.

Cory shrugged the hand off, starting to drink.

"Will you listen to me, please?" Adelle asked.

She looked up at her mother, waiting for her to continue.

"I know that I'm not much help to you when it comes to…anything really.." Adelle gave her an uncharacteristically sheepish smile. "But I just want you to spend one night. _This_ night. Tomorrow is the memorial service for your _best friend_ and I'd just like to know that if by some miracle, you decide you need your mother..I'll be right down the hall."

Cory wasn't sure if it was the wine or not but she actually believed her. Adelle sounded more sincere than she had in a long time.

"Alright mother," Cory sighed. "Fine. I'll stay."

Adelle smiled and they stood in awkward silence until John returned to the room.

"Listen, I'm gonna stick with Mark tonight, make sure he's okay. I'll stop by in the morning."

"Thanks," Cory smiled.

He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, "You behave yourself."

Cory rolled her eyes.

"You have a good night Mrs. Rutledge," he nodded in her direction.

"You do the same," she said. "And…thank you."

John nodded, "I'll see you both tomorrow."

* * *

Dawn yawned loudly, rolling onto her side. She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open but she was trying her best to stay awake. She'd just woken up an hour earlier. Never in her life had she been as tired as she always seemed to be since she gave birth to Shelby. She was convinced that there was something physically wrong with her but Jim assured her it was all in her head and she wasn't sleeping as much as she thought.

"Get some sleep Dawn," Jim said, cleaning up. "I promise you wont miss anything."

"Aren't missing things?" she asked, wondering if her words were as slurred as she thought. "Don't you have a life?

"Not much of one, obviously," he answered. "I already told you, you're not Savannah's only prisoner. I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be."

"Why are you here?" she asked. "I know why she hates me…why does she hate you?"

He was quiet for a while before standing up and walking toward the door, turning the light off, "Get some sleep."

She gave up, closing her eyes and listening to the sound of his footsteps leaving the room. Then, she heard a strange sound. It took her a few seconds to recognize it in her groggy state but she soon identified it as a cell phone ringing. She had a lot of trouble fighting the sleep but she could distinctly hear Jim's voice as he answered, "Hello…Yes, this is Steve."

* * *

Adelle leaned against the doorframe watching Cory sat in front of her vanity. She could remember watching her sit there as a child. At 7, she'd insisted that Adelle buy the enormous antique piece of furniture even though when she sat at the stool, her feet couldn't reach the ground. She would hop up onto the stool in her pink pajamas while Lisa, the children's nanny, would brush her hair. Now she was sitting in a faded NYU t-shirt that she'd left behind. Her dark waves were pulled up into a messy ponytail and she had her chin resting on her hand as she stared at her reflection. Her eyes looked red and glassy, as if she'd just finished crying. It pained Adelle that she didn't seem to be able to help her daughter through this terrible circumstance. She couldn't imagine how hard it was to hold out hope that her friend was still alive. It weighed on Adelle's heart that her daughter would rather sit and cry alone than walk down the hall and talk to her.

Adelle walked into the room and stood behind her, "You shouldn't sleep in a ponytail. You'll get a headache."

"I already have a headache," Cory said. Adelle reached out, gently unwinding her thick hair from the black band. She couldn't tell what surprised her more: the fact that Cory didn't try to bite her hand off or the fact that she couldn't remember the last time she touched her daughter's hair.

Cory's eyes turned up to her and she leaned away, "If you try to read me a bedtime story I swear I'm gonna leave."

"I know it's a little late for that," Adelle insisted. "I just..I want to ask you something."

"What?"

Adelle sat on the edge of the bed, folding her hands in her lap, "Did you ever feel, as a child, like I didn't love you?"

Cory didn't answer right away. She was obviously trying to think of the best thing to say.

She turned around on the stool and sighed, "Not as a child, no. I always had Dad, and Gram, and Lisa. With them, my brothers and sisters, plenty of friends..To be perfectly honest mother…I didn't really notice that you were more interested in shopping and firing staff members than having tea parties with me. I always just sort of _knew_ that you loved me. You didn't have to show it or say it. I didn't feel like you didn't love me until I got older."

Adelle felt as if she'd been slapped. She could see in her daughter's eyes that she wasn't trying to be hurtful. Her words didn't have the cutting tone they did when she was being snide. She genuine reached a point where she felt that her mother didn't love her.

"Cory I-"

"Mother this isn't a conversation I'd like to have tonight. I'm still working on what to say tomorrow and at some point I'm gonna have to sleep."

"Alright," Adelle sighed, walking to the door. She stopped, turning back, "I'm sorry that I made you feel that I didn't love you but I can assure you…I do."

"Goodnight mother."

* * *

_"Need an escort to your car darlin'?"_

_Mark walked toward Dawn, hoping she didn't run away. She'd completely avoided talking to him at dinner and the way she tensed when she heard his voice didn't look good for his chances._

_"I thought you went back to the hotel," she said._

_"I thought about it...then I decided to wait for you."_

_He stood in front of her, hands in his pockets._

_"Why?"_

_"Because I thought maybe if I cornered you, I could get you to talk to me," he said._

_"About what?" she asked._

_"You know what," he gave her a look._

_She looked down at her feet, seeing that playing dumb wasn't going to work._

_"I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what's going on with you," he stepped closer to her. "You've had me worried outta my mind and you wont even tell Cory what's wrong with you...I was thinking about it again this morning and I think I figured it out...I don't know why the hell it took me so long, maybe I'm losing brain cells in the ring or maybe I'm gettin' old, I don't know but...the throwing up..the loose clothes you've been wearing lately..turning down a glass of wine tonight...Darlin', are you-"_

_"No," she cut him off. "I'm not pregnant."_

_He gave her a skeptical look, "You sure about that Dawn?"_

_She nodded, "I can see why you'd think so but..I'm not."_

_"But-"_

_"Mark, if I was I would tell you," she said, running a hand through her hair. "I thought I was at first...but I took a test and I'm not. It's just some sort of virus. It'll pass."_

_"Then why are you being so secretive?" Mark asked. "Why-"_

_"Mark," she put up a hand. "I just wanna go back to the hotel and lay down..Can we talk about this later?"_

_"I'd say yes but I don't believe you'll talk to me," Mark said, obviously frustrated. "What is going on?"_

_"Nothing."_

_"But-"_

_"Goodnight Mark,"_

Mark stirred, rolling over in bed. His eyes opened slowly and he looked around the darkened room. He'd had that dream a lot in the last few days. He kept running that night through his head. He should have pushed more. He should have known that she was lying. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling that familiar sting at the back of his eyes. He had no one but himself to blame. She didn't tell him for fear of how he would react. She didn't tell him because of what an idiot he'd been in the past. And now he couldn't make up for those mistakes. He'd lost everything.

He jumped when he heard loud snoring but laughed when he remembered John was sleeping on the couch. They'd gone out for a few drinks after dinner and John didn't want to leave Mark alone.

Mark sat up in bed, thinking about what the next morning would be like. He had to give a speech about what Dawn meant to him. How was he supposed to do that without breaking down when he could barely sleep through a night?

* * *


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17...**

The Next Morning…

Lianna yawned, snuggling closer to her pillow, her eyelids extremely heavy. She couldn't remember when she fell asleep but she wasn't ready to get up yet. This was one of those mornings where she woke up in a position way too comfortable to give up. She wrapped her arms tightly around her pillow and tried to pull her legs up but was startled when she felt something weighing them down. She sat up straight, rubbing her head as she looked down at her legs.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw Matt Hardy's head resting on a pillow in her lap. She felt like she'd just woken up in the godfather with a severed head in her bed. She smacked Matt hard on the chest and he snapped awake quickly.

"What the hell?" he grumbled, looking around. He looked equally horrified when he realized his position. He sat up quickly, "What are you doing to me?"

"What am I doing to you?" Lianna asked. "You're the one trying to cuddle with me."

"Cuddle my ass," Matt glared. "Where the hell did Jason go?"

I don't know," she shook her head. "I was too busy getting your big ass head off my lap to look for him."

"I think your bony knees gave me a headache," Matt rubbed the back of his neck.

They both turned toward the bathroom when they heard the toilet flush.

Jason walked out after a few seconds, drying his hands on his pants, "Good morning."

"No morning is good when you wake up with that looking down at you," Matt pointed to Lianna.

"I cant imagine any of your mornings go all that well," Lianna sneered. "You have to look in the mirror eventually."

"Guys," Jason rolled his eyes. "Not today, alright? You two can stop freaking out. We all fell asleep during the third movie. Li, you went down for the count first, then Matt just sorta fell over on you. I slept on the floor. It's not a big deal. Let's all be adults today, deal?"

"You're right Jay, I'm sorry," Lianna stood up.

"Me too man," Matt said, patting his friend on the back. "I guess we should all start getting ready."

Jason nodded, "Are we riding over together?"

* * *

_Hutcheson Memorial Forest_

John looked around the crowd, trying to spot Cory. After a few minutes, he spotted her talking to Mark and one of the men setting up the microphone they'd borrowed from the production department. There were more people than expected and Vince brought in the mic to make sure the speeches could be heard. Mrs. Psaltis had asked that no one wear black so Cory was clad in a dark purple dress and heels. He walked over to her, placing his hand on her back, "Do you mind if I borrow her for just a minute?"

"Yeah, I can handle this," Mark nodded.

"Thanks," John patted Mark on the shoulder before leading Cory away, "I've been looking all over for you."

"Yeah I've been all over the place," she shrugged. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to see if you're okay," he stopped walking, standing in front of her.

She shrugged, "I've been keeping an eye on Mark, he's doing better than I expected. Mrs. Psaltis is on her way, she was waiting for more of the family to get to her house. I talked to her a few times and she seems pretty shaky but she says she'll be able to talk and-"

"Cory I didn't ask about them," he stopped her, taking her face in his hands. "I asked about you. How are _you_?"

She looked up at him with glassy eyes and offered a weak smile, "I'm just really glad you're here."

* * *

"Can you explain to me what's going on?" Jessica asked Viveca as they got out of the car.

"What do you mean?" Viveca stopped walking, turning to face her friend. Jess, Viveca, William, and Jeff had all gone out for breakfast before the memorial and Jessica couldn't help but notice that Viveca barely spoke to her husband.

"Are you and Jeff fighting?" she asked.

"Not actively," Viveca shook her head.

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Viveca sighed. "I don't think this is the time or place."

"Have you talked to Jeff about it?" Jessica questioned. "Because he seemed pretty clueless as to what's wrong with you."

"I told you I don't want to talk about it," Viveca answered. "Not with you, not with him."

Viveca tried to walk away but Jessica grabbed her friend's arm.

"V, if there's anything we need to learn from Dawn it's that you've gotta be honest with the people you love. You know how you are sometimes."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you can put a person through the indictment, trial, and sentencing in your head before they even know they're in trouble. You think if a person doesn't know what they did that's even more punishable than the original offense. Jeff loves you. Learn from someone else's mistakes. Tell him what you're feeling. Don't make him guess."

* * *

"Do you think she's sick?" Glenn asked, walking behind his wife as she carried their wailing daughter.

"No, for the ten thousandth time Glenn, she is not sick," Jacinda snipped, rubbing her daughter's back through the heavy pink coat they had on her.

"She cried the whole way here, don't get mad at me for thinking there might be something wrong with her," Glenn stopped walking.

"Forgive me, I didn't realize you knew so much more about our baby than I do," Jacinda turned to face him. "We are not going to do this right now Glenn. We're already running late and I wanted to introduce Mark and Cory to the baby before they give their speeches."

"Jacinda, they can see the baby after, I think we should figure out why she's so upset first, maybe she needs her diaper changed," Glenn suggested.

"She does not need to be changed," Jacinda argued, walking away from her husband. "She just needs a bottle. I will give her one in a minute. Let's go."

Glenn tried to control his anger. He knew Jacinda was under a lot of pressure. Seemingly since the baby was born, she'd had a very difficult time to get her to stop crying. She often complained to him that when he was gone, their daughter would cry sometimes for what seemed like hours.

"Jacinda, I'm sorry," he caught up to her. "This is a hard day for me okay, I just don't want Shelby to disrupt everything."

"I'm glad you think of our daughter as a disruption," she glared at him. "Good to know."

* * *

John was talking to Mark and Cory about the restaurant reservations Mark made for everyone to go to after the memorial when he heard a baby crying.

"Somebody's not happy," John turned in the direction of the noise.

Cory turned around, smiling when she saw Glenn and Jacinda, "I didn't know they were bringing the baby."

"Neither did I," Mark said.

Cory waved them over and Glenn led his family to where they were standing.

"Mark, John, Cory, this wailing, red faced infant here is Shelby," Glenn introduced.

"What's the matter sweatheart?" Cory reached out her hands. "Can I hold her?"

Jacinda was hesitant but after a few seconds, she handed the crying baby over to Cory.

"What's the matter baby girl?" Cory asked sweetly. "Don't cry."

Cory held the baby against her and within seconds, the crying stopped.

"Wow," Glenn stared. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know," Cory laughed, holding the baby girl's small hand. "You guys, she is absolutely beautiful."

"Jacinda seems to think she looks like me," Glenn laughed.

"Babies never look like anyone until they're older," John laughed. "I never understood how people decide who their baby looks like."

"She is a beautiful baby," Mark said.

The baby's eyes seemed to be fixed on Mark as her head rested against Cory.

"You wanna hold her?" Cory asked.

"No thank you," Mark held up a hand.

"Are you sure Mark?" Jacinda asked.

"I'm sure," Mark nodded. "I'm a clumsy oaf, you don't want me holdin' your baby."

John stood beside Cory, smiling down at the adorable little girl. He looked up for a second and couldn't help but notice the look on Jacinda's face. The look that she was giving Cory was hard to read but he got a sense that she wasn't terribly happy that the other woman was able to quiet her crying child.

"Maybe uh..maybe we should get started," John said. "I think everyone's here."

"You're probably right," Mark said. "I'm gonna go get Dawn's parents."

"Bye sweetie," Cory smiled as she handed the baby back to her mother. As if on cue, Shelby started to cry again. Not as loudly as before but enough to let everyone know she was not pleased.

Cory, John, and Mark started walking toward their seats and they all stopped in their tracks when they saw the huge crowd of fans that was beginning to assemble behind Dawn's friends and family. Some were in suits, some in wrestling t-shirts, with signs. Without question, they were all there for Dawn.

"Dawn's parents said they can stay," Jessica walked over to them. "You guys ready?"

John looked over at Cory, "Are you?"

She took a deep, shaky breath and nodded, "Yeah, I guess I am."

Cory took her place at the microphone, tears already glistening in her blue eyes. She put her hands on the podium in front of her, taking a deep breath before giving everyone a nervous smile. "Hello everyone…I would like to thank you all for coming. I know it's cold but this is one of Dawn's favorite places and we thought it would be appropriate to honor her here. I um…I have been trying for days to come up with something to say in this moment..but uh..I haven't come up with anything yet," she sniffed. "Because I have a hard time trying to put into words what my best friend means to me. I don't want to stand here and tell you all how much you should miss her because I know that you do. And I am not an authority in any way on how to handle grief and sadness and frustration. I cant deal with it myself so I cant really tell you what to do to make this easier. But I can tell you that we aren't here today because we think that she's gone. We're here today to come together as the people who love her and just…share the memories we have of her and share our _hope_ and faith that she'll be back. So instead of talking amongst yourselves about how sad this is or how sorry you are just…talk about Dawn's _life_. Share your first memory, your _best_, your _worst_, just share _something_ of the time that you've spent with her and hopefully you'll feel in your heart that _hope_, that persistent tug that tells you that Dawn's life is not over. And the memories you have of her wont be the last. I just want you all to walk away from this feeling like all is not lost. This day, this memorial is only an ending if you make it that way. So don't let this be final, don't put Dawn away."

She stopped talking and looked down, tears trailing down her nose. John felt a sting at his own eyes and he got up, walking to her at the podium and taking her hand in his. The fans at the back of the crowd started clapping loudly and John wrapped Cory in his arms, kissing the top of her head, "You did good, you know that?"

She nodded against him, "I hope so."

* * *

Savannah watched as Mark got up and walked to Cory and John, whispering something to Cory and smoothing a hand over her hair before John escorted her to a chair. It was hard for her to keep from rolling her eyes as she looked at the people around her. Everyone looked so touched by Cory's sappy little speech. It was really pathetic that she was trying to instill hope in her friends. Someone really needed to try and get her to accept reality. She wasn't going to see her beloved best friend again. She needed to start moving on with her life. They all did.

Mark cleared his throat and she turned her attention back to him. He was in a suit, something she'd only seen a handful of times when they were together. He looked good, very good. Too bad he was about to make a fool of himself. She couldn't help but giggle as she thought back to the look on Mark's face when Cory asked if he wanted to hold the baby. He looked like his heart had stopped. If he only knew the little girl he'd just refused to touch was his precious baby.

She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief to hide her smile as he began to speak.

"I want to thank you all for being here," Mark said. "I'm sure you all know that Dawn means a lot to me. And I know she means a lot to you. I look out at her close friends, our friends, and I know that there is one thing that Dawn has taught us a lot about…Love… For many years, the person I loved most in this world was myself and that didn't change until I met her. She taught me that there was more to life than just business and booze. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't know many of you. I wouldn't have taken the time to get to know you. For a very long time she gave me her love. She gave me happiness. She gave me laughter and fun and…_life_. And I happen to know that she's taught some of you things about forgiving the ones you love and seeing that to err is human. She's taught you about sharing your feelings with the ones you think you could love, putting yourself out there..I can only hope that you don't focus on the last things you know about her. Don't focus on the things that you've heard or any decision that was made that you may not understand…Just…Believe in the things that she's taught you. Believe in life. Embrace the people you love. And..smile when you think about Dawn. Because I know she smiles when she thinks about all of you."

He took a deep breath as he finished, stepping back as the fans clapped. Then, a 'Dawn Marie' chant erupted from the back of the crowd.

Mark gave them a humble smile before thanking everyone again for coming and inviting them to stay as long as they like.

Savannah looked over at Glenn and could see that his nose was a little red. She fought to keep from rolling her eyes at the notion of someone his size getting all teary eyed.

"Are you alright honey?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright," he nodded. "We should go check on Mark."

She looked over at Mark who had stepped down and was looking up at the sky, probably to force tears away.

"You're right," she smiled. "Let's make sure he's okay."

* * *

_After the memorial…_

"Ms. Samms? Ms. Samms?"

Cory stopped walking when she heard someone calling after her. The memorial had been over for a few minutes but quite a few people were still milling about and talking before everyone headed to the restaurant. She dabbed at her eyes under her sunglasses before turning around, "Yes?"

"Scott Daley, New York Post," he said, reaching out his hand.

The eager look on the journalists face irked Cory and she looked down at his outstretched hand before crossing her arms over her chest, "How can I help you Mr. Daley?"

"I've written a few pieces on this story and I wondered if I could just ask you a few questions," he said, pulling a tape recorder out of his pocket.

"I assume by '_this story_' you mean my best friend," Cory said, already struggling with her composure. She understood that people had to do their jobs but a memorial service was not the place for an interview.

"Right," he nodded. "I understand that you were her only friend who knew of her pregnancy before she disappeared..On a day like today…does guilt get to you?"

"Excuse me?" Cory stared at him in disbelief.

"I mean, if you had told someone she was pregnant, things may have gone differently," he said. "Does that get to you at all?"

Before she knew what happened, the palm of Cory's hand made a stiff, stinging connection with his cheek.

He dropped his recorder, bringing his hand up to his cheek, "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you crazy?"

"Are you?"

Cory felt a sense of relief when Hunter appeared, stepping between her and the reporter.

"I could have you _arrested_," Daley pointed at her. "I could-"

"_I_ could get out of the way and let her slap the taste out of your mouth again," Hunter threatened. "You think anyone's gonna feel bad for you after what you just said to her?"

"I was just-"

"You were just leaving," Hunter picked the tape recorder up. He held it by it's strap for the younger man but before he could grab his property, Hunter pulled it back, balling his fist around it and cracking the casing. "Get the hell outta here before I escort you to your car."

The reporter obviously wanted to say something else but Hunter just glared at him and he lost his nerve, turning and walking away as quickly as possible.

"Thank you," Cory said as he turned around, wrapping an arm around her.

"You don't have to thank me," he said. "Just try not to get arrested today."

She shook her head, "I'll do my best. I just cant believe they have the nerve to show up here today."

"Neither can I," Hunter shook his head. "If anyone else bothers you…"

She cut him off, "I'll bring their tape recorders to you..don't worry."

Cory felt a familiar hand on her back and she felt herself relax slightly when she heard John's voice, "You ready to get out of here?"

"Yes," she nodded enthusiastically. "We'll see you later Hunter."

"Right," Hunter nodded. "See you later."

Hunter walked away and Cory noticed as strange look on John's face as he watched their friend leave.

"What were you two talking about?"

"He was trying to keep me from getting arrested," Cory said.

He gave her a confused look.

"Long story," she waved it off. She looked up at him,, "Is it horrible that I don't want to go to the restaurant? I mean, I know it was Dawn's favorite but..after what just happened I…I don't really want to be around a lot of people."

"Then you don't have to," John shrugged. "Do you wanna be around me?"

She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder, "Yeah. Just you. But I don't wanna go home."

"Do you wanna go out?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Not really."

John noticed white flecks in her hair and looked up, realizing that it had started to snow again. The area had been hit with quite a bit of snow in the last few days.

"Well you got me," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Don't worry. I'll take care of everything else."

* * *

Jeff stared out the window onto the street, watching as cars passed slowly, careful not to skid on the slush in the streets. This was such a _strange_ day. He would never have imagined being at a memorial for Dawn. She was like a big sister to him, to everyone really. And Viveca was off talking to Jessica. She sat next to him while everyone spoke but they barely talked and they didn't touch. Jeff's mind was racing at the thought of her being pregnant. He kept thinking about Dawn being so afraid to tell Mark about her pregnancy. He didn't want his wife to ever feel like that but at the same time, he was terrified. He wanted kids, eventually but..not now. They'd never really talked about children.

"Hey there."

Jeff's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a familiar voice. He turned to see Amy standing in front of him, holding two glasses of wine.

"Hey Am," he smiled, accepting one of the glasses.

"_You_ look like a man with something on his mind," she said, taking a sip of her drink.

"I think we all have something on our minds today," he said quietly, looking around the room.

"Yeah but you look like something else is troubling you," she said. "I know you Jeff. I know when something's up."

She was right, she always had a keen sense for what was going on with him.

"Honestly, I'm a little scared right now," he admitted.

"Scared about what?" she asked.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course I can," she nodded. "What's wrong?"

"I think Viveca might be pregnant."

* * *

Viveca looked around for Jeff, checking her watch. She was hoping that maybe he would ride back to the hotel with her. They weren't exactly on the best terms but after Dawn's memorial…she needed him by her side, at least until she got to the airport. And Jessica was right. She was being unfair. She was sure that with a day or two away from him, she would be able to calmly talk to him about what she heard. She just needed some time.

"Have you seen your brother?" she walked over to Matt.

"Not in a while," Matt said. "You okay? You look a little pale."

"It's winter, I _am_ a little pale," she smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "If you find him first, let him know I'm looking for him."

"Of course," Matt nodded.

Viveca kept walking through the restaurant and stopped in her tracks when she found her husband, talking quietly in a corner with Amy Dumas.

She shook her head, feeling a little déjà vu. It seemed like every time she turned around lately there he was with Amy.

She walked over and Amy smiled at her, "Hey Viveca…how are you?"

"Good," Viveca nodded, eyes on her husband as Jeff turned around.

"Hey baby," he tried to put an arm around her but she stepped away.

"I'm leaving, I just thought I'd let you know," she said.

"Where are you going?" Amy inquired.

"I'm going back to the hotel to get my bags. I'm leaving today to go visit a friend," Viveca explained, still not looking at Amy.

"You want me to go back with you?" Jeff asked, putting his drink down. "I can-"

"No," she put a hand up. "Really, I'd rather go alone. I just…need some time away."

Jeff looked hurt and took her hand, "I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know," she nodded quickly, pulling her hand away. "I love you too. I'll see you when I get back."

Then she turned, walking away as quickly as she could.

"V, I didn't see Jeff yet but I'm looking," Matt started walking beside her.

She kept her eyes straight ahead, "You can stop looking. I found him."

* * *


	18. Chapter 18

**Big hugs to those of you who reviewed. I know I've said it a million times but I really do appreciate it. Feedback helps the writing process along. I apologize that this chapter is so short but it sort of had to be. I'm hoping it's enough to hold you over until the next, much meatier chapter. Hope you enjoy...I'm already hard at work on the next. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**

**Chapter 18...**

Cory plopped down on the couch, waiting as John carried in the bag he packed for her. He hadn't let her do a thing for herself since they left the forest and she had to admit, she didn't mind. He took her to her apartment and packed a bag while she fed the dogs and asked Tony to walk them again. He called Mark and told him they wouldn't make it. He booked them a hotel room and practically carried her to the door when they got there.

"So…what now?" she asked as he sat beside her.

"Well…" he tucked her dark hair behind her ears. "You are gonna take a shower while I go get us something to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she shook her head.

"That's too bad Princess," he smiled. "You haven't eaten all day. Now get in the shower, I'll be back in a few."

* * *

Jeff looked around the restaurant for his sister in law. If there was anyone who knew what was going on with Viveca, it would be Lianna. After a minute or two, he spotted her talking with Dave and Jessica.

He walked over to them, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Can I borrow her for just a minute?"

Dave nodded and Jessica waved as Jeff led her away.

"How's it going brother in law?" she asked softly as they walked near the door.

"It's..it's going," Jeff shrugged. "Viveca left for the airport."

"Yeah, she told me she was going to see Taylor," Lianna nodded.

"Li..what's going on?" Jeff asked, not in any mood to beat around the bush.

"Depends on what we're talking about," she shrugged.

"I'm gonna ask you something and I need you to give me an honest friend to friend answer, no pulling the 'sisterly confidence' card," Jeff said.

"Okay, friend to friend," she agreed. "What's your question?"

"Is Viveca pregnant?"

"_What_?" Lianna stared. "Jeff, are you crazy?"

"Is she?" he asked, anxious.

"No, she's not pregnant," Lianna answered. "Why would you even think that?"

"Because there's something wrong," he answered. "She's acting so weird. She wont talk to me, I don't know what I did."

Lianna looked up at the ceiling, letting out a frustrated sigh before looking back at him, "I swear, I'll never have a relationship because I'm too busy fixing yours. Jeff, she's not pregnant. Her feelings are hurt."

"What? Why?"

"Do you remember a conversation you had with your dad not too long ago?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "One where you may have shared a little chuckle about how you think Viveca sucks in the ring."

Jeff felt his heart sink to his feet, "She heard that."

"Mmhmm," Lianna nodded. "She thinks you don't believe in her."

"I would never have said that if I knew she was listening," Jeff rubbed his forehead.

"That doesn't do you much good now, does it?" she asked.

"Not exactly," Jeff sighed, running a hand over his hair.

"Jeff, just leave her be while she's in Michigan," Lianna suggested. "When she comes back and she's had some time to calm, you can make it up to her."

"I'll do my best," Jeff said.

"You'll work it out," she patted him on the arm. "If I know any couple who can get past anything, it's you two."

* * *

"Lucy, I'm home," John walked into the hotel room, bags of food in hand.

The lights were off and the TV provided the only light. Cory didn't answer and after looking around the room, John figured out why. She was curled up on the end of the couch in his sweatshirt and a pair of pink plaid pants. She must have fallen asleep right after her shower because her hair was still wrapped in a towel. He put the food down on the table and sat gently on the couch, making sure not to wake her. He knew she was still having trouble sleeping and the last thing he wanted was to disturb her when she looked so peaceful.

He turned the volume down on the TV and picked up the food, walking over to the bed. Once he was done eating, he would carry her to the bed and make sure she got a good amount of sleep.

* * *

"Thanks for walking me back," Jessica said, walking into her hotel room.

"You don't have to thank me," Hunter followed her into the room.

"I just..I don't know..I don't really wanna be alone," Jessica took off her coat, draping it over the back of the couch.

Hunter sat on the arm of the couch, "Well, I don't have much to do today so..I'm here for you if you need me."

Jessica slowly paced the room, rubbing her hands on her arms, "I don't really know what I need."

She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She had done pretty well for most of the day but it was getting difficult. Having a memorial for someone she'd known for so long wasn't easy.

She stopped in front of Hunter, studying his face. He'd been as strong as anyone could be all day. He was trying to be a shoulder for everyone to lean on.

She reached out, lightly touching his shoulder, "How are you doing with all of this?"

He shrugged, sighing deeply, "I'm okay. It's hard but I'm alright."

She could see in his eyes that there was more on his mind than he wanted to share but she didn't want to push. She thought back to what Mark said about Dawn teaching them to reach out to the ones that they cared for. Maybe it was finally time to show Hunter how she felt. She reached forward, running her fingers over his cheek.

She leaned forward touching her lips to his. The kiss was soft and he didn't respond at first. She froze, her lips still resting against his and her mind raced, wondering if she'd made a huge mistake. Then, she felt his lips move. He kissed her back. She closed her eyes, her hands moving to his shoulders. She moved to deepen the kiss but before she could, his lips were gone. He pulled away from her, standing up.

She put a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide, "I..I um.."

"I don't think this is the right time for this," Hunter shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"No I'm sorry," she shook her head. "I shouldn't have…"

Jessica trailed off, looking away. The situation really couldn't get more awkward.

"I'm gonna go…I'll see you later."

* * *

John was startled out of his sleep by an obnoxiously loud buzzing sound. He groaned, slapping at the nightstand, trying to make the noise stop. Cory slowly propped herself up on her elbows, yawning.

"Is that my phone?" she rubbed her face.

John looked over at the blinking device on the nightstand, "Yeah. What's the point of putting it on silent if it's still so damn loud?"

Cory held her hand out for it but John shook his head, "Go back to sleep."

The buzzing stopped and Cory reached across him to grab the phone.

"Cory, come on, it's been a long day, we both need the rest," he insisted. "Whatever that is can be handled in the morning."

"It was Hunter," Cory pressed a few buttons. "And I have three calls from a number I don't recognize."

"Probably a wrong number," John said. "And Hunter's a big boy he can-"

John stopped talking when he realized the phone was already pressed to her ear.

"Hey, you called?…Yeah I was sleeping. It's okay. What's going on?…._What_?…Where?…..Okay, okay yeah I know where that is. I'll meet you there."

"What's going on?" John sat up, still groggy.

"Mark," Cory got up quickly, walking over to her bag and yanking out a pair of jeans. "He's at a bar drunk out of his mind. Apparently they took his phone and called me. When they couldn't get me they called Hunter. I'm gonna meet him there."

"I'm coming with you," he pushed the covers away.

"No," she hopped around, yanking her boots on. "You've been taking care of me all day. Just get some rest. I should be back soon."

* * *

_40 Minutes Later…_

"Sometimes I feeeeeel..Sometiiiimes I feeeeel…Like I've been tiiiiiied to the whipping post…tiiiiiiied to the whipping post…Good Lord I feel like I'm dyyyyin'…"

Cory winced, struggling under Mark's weight as he sang into her ear.

"Did you find it yet?" Cory looked over at Hunter who was going through Mark's jacket pockets.

Hunter shook his head, making a face as he reached into the pocket of Mark's jeans.

"Why is he puttin' his hand in my pans?" Mark slurred in Cory's face, filling her nostrils with the scent of beer and Jack Daniels.

"He's putting his hand in your _pans_ because he sucks at rock, paper, scissors," Cory explained. "And there is no way I'm putting my hand in there."

"Got it," Hunter pulled the key out of the back pocket of Mark's somewhat snug jeans. He pointed in Cory's face, "You owe me."

"Just open the door before Gregg Allman here crushes me to death," Cory strained as Mark leaned on her.

Hunter opened the door and then took Mark's arm, draping it over his shoulder and practically carrying his friend into his room.

"You two didn't have to bring me up here," Mark said as Cory followed them in.

"Yeah we did," Cory laughed, turning on the lights. "Who else was gonna carry your big drunk ass up here?"

"Good point," Mark said, grunting as Hunter dropped him on the couch.

Cory sat on the coffee table, pulling Mark's feet up into her lap and pulling off his boots as Hunter helped him take his jacket off.

"I'm sorry," he told them both. "You don't have to do this."

"Of course we do," Hunter said, tossing his jacket away. "You'd do it for us."

"I'd do it for her," Mark drunkenly pointed at Cory. "I don't know about _you_."

"I'll remember that later," Hunter threatened.

"Just don't make this too much of a habit," Cory said, putting Mark's feet back on the floor. "We both love you but I don't think Hunter wants to put his hand in your pants again."

"No Hunter doesn't," Hunter shook his head.

Mark laughed a little and then leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling. Cory watched him, concerned. He'd had a lot to drink. It wasn't the amount of alcohol that bothered her though. She'd seen him drink quite a bit and he rarely even got a hangover. What worried her was why he felt the need to drink. The memorial had to have weighed heavily on him. Cory was having a hard time with it herself, she couldn't imagine how Mark was feeling. She sat on the arm of the couch, looking down at her friend, "Mark…are you okay?"

Mark closed his eyes, slowly shaking his head. He opened his eyes and looked over at Hunter, then back at Cory, "Kid, can you do me a favor?"

"Of course," Cory nodded.

"Can you run down the hall to the vending machine and see if they have any sprite or ginger ale or somethin' like that?" he asked.

"Sure," Cory nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll be right back."

* * *

Hunter watched as Cory walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Anything you need me to do man?" he asked, walking over and sitting on the couch.

"I need to talk to you," Mark said, looking up at the ceiling, his eyes glazed.

"You can always talk to me," Hunter said.

"I didn't wanna say this with Cory in the room but…I feel like I'm losin' it," Mark shook his head.

"I know-"

"_No_, you don't," Mark shook his head. "When I saw that baby today..I just…I had this crazy feeling."

Mark had a look in his eyes that Hunter had never seen before. He rubbed his hands over his face and looked up at the ceiling again.

"What kind of feeling?"

"Me and Dawn…we used to say if we had a girl, we'd call her Shelby," Mark sighed. "Glenn told me he used the name in her honor."

Hunter nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"When I saw her..for a second there I felt this feeling in my chest, like my heart stopped. I felt like I was looking at _my_ baby. Crazy, right?"

"It's natural for you to have a hard time seeing Shelby," Hunter patted him on the shoulder. "You're not crazy man..you're grieving."

"Yeah, maybe that's all it is," Mark looked away, sounding unconvinced.

"They had 7-Up," Cory came back into the room, walking over and sitting on the arm of the couch. "This should help you feel better."

Mark accepted the can from her, "I hope something does."

* * *


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19...**

Saturday

"I cannot believe how well you're doing," Viveca shook her head as she and Taylor returned to her room after a trip down to the cafeteria.

"Gee thanks V," Taylor smirked.

"You know what I mean," Viveca said apologetically. "I'm just happy for you. This new doctor is amazing."

"Yeah, I gotta say, I do enjoy _not_ being in a drug induced haze," Taylor laughed, picking up a small box and plopping down on the bed. "Now if only they'd deem me healthy enough to leave."

"You'll be out of here in no time," Viveca assured her friend.

"I hope so," Taylor sighed. "Now, there's something else that we need to discuss before you leave."

"What's that?" Viveca frowned as Taylor opened the box, pulling out what looked like a stack of pictures.

"You and Jeff," Taylor said.

Viveca rolled her eyes.

"Look, I understand why you got mad," Taylor said. "I just don't get why you're _still_ mad. V, you're not perfect. I'm _sure_ that at some point in your relationship you've said something about him that hurt his feelings. And I'm sure he didn't give you the silent treatment for days."

Viveca crossed her arms over her chest, "This isn't about some time I hurt his feelings."

"No, it's all about you," Taylor said. "It's about you listening in on his conversation and hearing something that he never meant for you to hear and that he would never, _ever_ say to you because he loves you and he'd never intentionally hurt your feelings."

Viveca rolled her eyes again. Taylor was making it sound like she did something wrong.

"You love Jeff. You married him so you apparently wanna be with him for the rest of your life. Is this 'fight' really worth it?" Taylor asked, smiling when she got to the picture she was looking for. She turned it so Viveca could see the picture. It was taken in an airport. Jeff was sitting on a chair and Viveca was asleep with her head on a pillow in his lap. Jeff was smiling and giving a thumbs up to the camera while most of her face was covered by a huge pair of sunglasses. Viveca laughed, taking the picture. She remembered that day pretty clearly. She had a terrible cold and Jeff practically carried her everywhere. He waited on her hand and foot and as soon as she felt better, he came down with the same thing.

"Come on, you know you miss him," Taylor smiled.

Viveca couldn't deny that. She missed her husband. Giving the silent treatment wasn't nearly as satisfying as it used to be.

"Okay, you win," Viveca smiled. "I think I'm gonna take an early flight to New York. I need to talk to him."

Taylor smiled, "Good."

* * *

"You kissed her?" Dave smirked. "Nice work."

"_She_ kissed _me_," Hunter corrected.

"A hot woman kissed you, congratulations," Dave clapped.

"You really have a one track mind, don't you?" Hunter shook his head.

"I do," Dave nodded. "What's wrong with that?"

"I'm not telling you because I wanna brag," Hunter sighed.

"Then why the hell are you telling me?"

"Because I don't know what to do," Hunter ran a hand over his hair. "I don't..I just don't feel that way about Jessie anymore."

"You want my advice?" Dave smiled.

"Yeah," Hunter nodded. "Not entirely sure why though."

"I think you need to see how far you can take it."

"Have you been listening to me at all?" Hunter stared.

"Yes, and I think you're an idiot," Dave answered. "This is _Jessica_ we're talking about. Look, I'm not stupid, I know she's not the one you want but…it still doesn't get much better."

"I'm not gonna take advantage of my friend," Hunter said. "You do get the concept of friends, don't you?"

"In a sense, yes," Dave laughed. "Listen, I'm not saying break the girls heart. I consider Jess a friend too. And speak of the devil.."

Dave nodded toward the window. Hunter winced when he saw Jessica's rental car in a parking space. She and Torrie Wilson were getting out, laughing and talking.

"We're not leaving," Dave pointed at him.

"Come on, help me out here," Hunter gave him a look.  
"I'm not even done with my food yet," Dave complained.

Hunter glared at him and Dave rolled his eyes, pulling out money and throwing it on the table. "Come on you big baby."

* * *

"I cant believe she said that to you," Torrie laughed.

"Neither can I," Jessica said, pulling her hat off as they approached the door to the restaurant. She smiled when she saw Dave walking toward her. Her smile faltered a little when she saw Hunter. They hadn't said a word to each other since the kiss.

"Hey Jessie, Torrie," Dave said. "We were just leaving."

"Hey guys," Torrie smiled.

Hunter gave them each a quick nod before walking toward the car without a word.

Jessica stared after her friend, surprised at him. He barely even looked at her. She could remember a time where he couldn't walk past her without stopping and talking.

"Don't eat the soup of the day," Dave said. "We uh..think it may have bothered his stomach."

"We'll keep that in mind," Torrie said as the men got in their car. She turned the Jessica, "Okay, what's going on here?"

Jessica shrugged, "Believe me, I wish I knew."

* * *

"Can you bring it in a little more?" Adelle asked the seamstress, pinching the fabric at her waist.

"Mother you'll need to breathe at some point tonight," Cory said, standing a few feet away, having the hem of her gown pinned.

"I could breathe in a whale bone corset if I had to," Adelle smiled and Cory couldn't help but laugh.

"I can bring it in a bit more but.." the young woman said, reaching over to grab more pins. "Do you plan on eating tonight?"

"Not if I can help it." Adelle smirked. She looked over at her daughter, "I'm glad you decided to go with that dress."

Adelle had picked her dress for the benefit in a matter of minutes but it took Cory a few weeks of searching before she decided on the champagne colored gown made by her favorite designer, Zac Posen.

"I just tried to think of which one John would like," Cory shrugged, looking down at the cleavage enhancing dress. "Tight and booby seemed like a good way to go."

"That's always a good way to go dear," Adelle said. "As long as it's tasteful."

"I get scared when we agree on things," Cory said, looking down at the woman pinning her dress. "It makes me itchy."

"I've been meaning to tell you something," Adelle said. "About John."

"Oh not now mother," Cory rolled her eyes. "We were having a good day."

"Why do you always assume I'll say something bad?" Adelle asked, annoyed.

Cory simply looked at her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wanted to tell you that you'll be presenting him with a special honor tonight," Adelle explained.

"What?" Cory asked, confused.

"It seems that John has granted more wishes than any celebrity in the past year. The foundation would like to present him with an award. I assumed you'd want to be the one to give it to him."

"Of course I would," Cory smiled, surprised. "Thank you mother."

"Don't thank me, it wasn't my decision," Adelle shrugged. She gave her daughter another once over and then frowned, "You should think about covering up your tattoos for the evening."

Cory shook her head, "And just like that, we're back to normal."

* * *

"So now I have to go out and buy new shoes for tonight because the stupid airline lost my bag," Lianna complained as she and Matt waited in line at the coffee shop in the hotel lobby.

"Well at least they didn't lose your dress," Matt shrugged.

"Yeah but those shoes were perfect," Lianna said. "Now we have to go search for the same pair."

"We?" Matt smirked. "Don't you have real friends?"

"Yes, but they're all _busy_ so I'm settling for _you_," Lianna smiled sweetly.

"Where's Dave?" Matt asked.

"Out with Hunter," Lianna shrugged. "Just accept your fate Hardy. You're my shopping buddy today. I'm not asking you to like it. Just do it."

"Fine, whatever. You're paying for coffee," Matt nodded as the cashier waved them forward.

They placed their orders and, as requested, Lianna paid, then they moved forward to wait for their drinks.

"Did you find a date yet or are you and Jason going together?" Lianna asked.

"I wasn't looking for a date," Matt said. "And yeah, I think we're gonna ride together."

Lianna paused, trying to think of a joke but soon, she noticed Matt's attention was no longer focused on their conversation. He was looking toward the front doors.

"You okay there spaceman?" she waved a hand in front of his face.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," he nodded. "Look I gotta go..run an errand..Just uh..call me when you're ready to go look for your shoes."

He was clearly lying and, annoyed, she turned to see what he was looking at. She saw the red hair first.

Amy was checking in at the front desk.

"This is getting ridiculous Matt, _what_ is your deal?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Just call me when you wanna go," Matt said, picking up his coffee and walking away quickly.

"You really don't know why Matt's avoiding her?"

Lianna nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard someone's voice behind her.

"Jesus, Adam, you don't sneak up on a person holding hot coffee," she glared at him.

"Sorry," Adam laughed. "I just had to ask. I cant believe you don't know."

"Don't know what?" she took a sip of her drink.

"What Matt's problem is," Adam said. "Nobody's told you?"

She was confused, she'd asked a few people what was going on with Matt but they all claimed they didn't know.

"No," she shook her head. "But you're gonna tell me now."

"Was that a request or an order?" Adam smirked.

"I think that was clearly an order," she said. "Tell me."

"Okay," Adam shrugged. "I think it's pretty common knowledge that Matt, Jeff, and Amy were thick as thieves for a long time."

Lianna nodded.

"Matt had a huge crush on Amy," Adam explained. "He did his best to hide it but..after a while, he told some of us about it. He didn't say anything to her because..he wasn't sure how she would react. We all just figured she didn't know. Turns out, she had a thing for Jeff. No one really knew about it at first. Jeff didn't seem interested. We all kept pushing Matt to just tell her how he felt and finally, he decided to do it. We were in New York at the time. He planned this nice dinner, got all dressed up and took her out and he told her that he thought he was in love with her. She told him that she didn't feel that way about him and left without saying anything else. Apparently that same night, she'd planned on telling Jeff how _she_ felt. She came up to his room later but Matt was there. Jeff didn't know what was going on 'cause Matt didn't tell him yet so he invited Amy in to hang out. For some reason, Matt kept quiet. They had a few bottles of booze between the three of them and Matt went to his room early. The next morning, Matt showed up to wake Jeff up so they could leave for the airport and uh..he wasn't alone."

"Jeff had _sex_ with _Amy_?" Lianna stared.

Adam nodded, "Yup. Matt flipped on both of them. I was in the room a few doors down and I came out when I heard him yelling. I had to drag him back to his room. Amy was crying and Jeff was trying to apologize. It took a while for Matt and Jeff to work things out but Jeff just kept apologizing and telling Matt he would never have done something like that sober. Amy just sort of kept her distance from both of them after that. She never said anything to Matt after that, no apology, no nothing. A while later, she got hurt and…she's been off the road ever since. Now she's back and she wants to act like nothing happened."

"Wow," Lianna shook her head. "God, poor Matt."

"Yeah we all felt really bad for him," Adam said. "Maybe you can be a little more understanding about why he's been uncomfortable lately."

"Yeah," she nodded, looking off in the direction he'd gone. "Thanks for telling me."

Adam shrugged, "I'm gonna get going. See you later."

* * *

Viveca pushed the hotel room door open with her shoulder, pushing one of her bags into the room with her foot while she dragged the other behind her and carried a garment bag on her other arm. She would have called Jeff to help her but she'd forgotten to charge her phone the night before and it died at the airport. When she entered the room, she let everything fall to the floor with a thud. She was tired and she still had to try to get a nap in before getting ready to go to the museum. She walked further into the room, stopping when she saw her husband. He was lying across the foot of the bed, lightly snoring against the comforter. His hair, recently dyed black and blue was hanging over the edge of the bed. She cleared her throat and he jumped, looking around the room. His eyes groggily settled on her and he gave her a sleepy smile that made the corners of her mouth twitch upward despite her best efforts.

"You weren't supposed to be back yet," he said, looking over at the clock. "I was gonna pick you up."

"I got an earlier flight," she explained. "I thought we should talk before we get ready for the benefit."

He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to wake himself up, "We do need to talk."

"I'm so-"

"I'm sorry V," he cut off her apology with one of his own, looking at her with earnest eyes.

She walked toward him, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Jeff, I-"

"I know what you heard," he said, taking her hand in his, pulling her gently so she was sitting on his lap. "I'm an idiot for saying that. I'm sorry that you had to hear it."

"It's okay," she said, looking down at her hands.

"It's not okay," he insisted. "Viveca, I know you can do anything you wanna do. You're one of the most talented people I've ever met and I'm sorry I made you feel any different."

Viveca knew that he meant what he said. He did love her and he wouldn't intentionally hurt her. She was wrong to freak out the way she did.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was wrong with me," she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Next time I do something that stupid, just tell me right then and there," he smirked.

"I'll try to remember that," she laughed.

"I talked to Cory this morning and I'm gonna start coming to your sessions with her," he said. "I think it'd be good for you to have a little male influence."

"You sure you're not just coming so you can see me get all hot and sweaty?" she teased.

He smiled, "That too."

"Seriously, I believe in you. And if I have to get up early every day and get in the ring with you to prove it then I will," he assured her.

"I love you," she kissed him softly. He returned her kiss and she smiled against his lips, enjoying the feel of her husband's touch.

"How much time before we have to get ready?" Jeff asked, moving them back further onto the bed.

She smiled, pulling up his t-shirt, "Long enough."

* * *

"I cant get this damn tie," Owen complained, feeling like a complete idiot as he fumbled around with the black tie.

"Quit whining," Yvonne walked over, taking it out of his hands and carefully beginning to tie it herself. She smiled up at him, "Your mother would love to see this."

"See me in this awful tux? I'm sure she would," he laughed as she stood next to him, turning to the mirror.

He looked at their reflection, shaking his head, "Woman you look gorgeous. Don't you think you deserve a better date than me?"

"You're not my date honey," Yvonne smiled, walking over to pick up her shoes. "You will be on the arm of one Sarah Chadwick tonight."

"You aren't giving up on this whole me and Sarah thing are you?" he laughed.

"Not for a second," Yvonne smiled. "And I think you'll have a little change of heart when she gets here."

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

"Just trust me," Yvonne smirked.

There was a knock at the door and before Owen could move, Yvonne went to answer it.

Shrugging, he looked in the mirror again, straightening his tie and wondering if he should do something with his hair.

"Sarah, what a surprise," he heard Yvonne joke.

"You ready to go yet Wagner?"

He turned to Sarah and was quite surprised at what he saw. In the time he'd known Sarah, he could only remember seeing her in pants, sweaters, and button down shirts with her hair falling out of a ponytail. Now she stood in front of him in a very fitted, dark red strapless dress that swept the floor. Her blonde hair was curled and pulled into a loose, low side bun. Her lips were covered in a dark red shade that made them look fuller than he ever thought they were.

"Stop standing there looking brain damaged," Yvonne whispered to him. "Tell her she looks good."

"You look…different," was all he could manage to say.

Yvonne rolled her eyes.

"I better look different," she said. "Especially since Yvonne made me buy this ridiculously expensive dress."

"And it looks ridiculously good on you," Yvonne said.

"You do look very nice," Owen nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," Sarah quirked a smile at him, putting her hands on her hips. "I guess you don't look too bad."

"Alright kids, we're running late," Yvonne looked over at the clock. "Let's get this show on the road."

"How exactly did you manage to score tickets to this thing anyway?" Owen asked Sarah.

"I called in a favor from an old college friend," Sarah responded. "I hope this works."

Owen sighed, "It better."

* * *

Mark got up when he heard a knock at his door, assuming it was Glen and Jacinda. They were all going to the Museum together and the couple was running late.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to see that Jacinda was the only one there.

"Where's Glen?" he frowned.

"Hello to you too," she smiled.

"Sorry," he said, realizing he was being gruff. "Nice to see you."

"You too," she smiled, walking past him into the room. "Glen's down in the car."

"Well I'm just about ready," he said. "I just need to figure out where the hell I put my wallet."

"Where's your tie?" she asked as he looked on the nightstand.

"I couldn't tie it," Mark said. "So I decided to scrap the whole idea."

"A black tie affair sort of means you have to wear a tie Mark," she smirked.

"I think I know enough people to get in without it," Mark looked over at her. "Besides, Cory made me buy a real one, not one of those ones that's already tied. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," she laughed. "Come on, where is it? I'll tie it for you."

"Over there somewhere," Mark pointed near the window where he'd tossed it in frustration about 20 minutes earlier.

Jacinda found it at the same time that Mark found his wallet on the bed.

"Found it, we can go," Mark said, slipping it into his pocket.

She held up the tie, a stern look on her face telling him she wasn't budging on the issue. He rolled his eyes, "I don't have a stool for you to stand on little lady."

"I tied Glen's," she said, defensive. "I'm pretty sure I can reach."

Mark shrugged, "Go ahead, just hurry. Mrs. Rutledge will have my head if I'm too late."

Jacinda looped the black tie under the collar of his shirt and he looked around the room, feeling incredibly awkward as she set about her task. This was the closest he'd ever been to Jacinda and it just..something felt off. She had this little smile on her face, like she was thinking about a joke or something. He looked down at her dark blue dress, noting that she'd lost her baby weight pretty quickly. She looked _maybe_ 10 pounds heavier than when he first met her. Her dress was cut low in the back and he could see the end of a scar that was probably pretty nasty.

"What's that from?" he asked, nodding down at her.

"What?" she finished up the tie.

"That scar on your back," he answered. "Looks pretty bad. What's it from?"

"I was in a car accident," she answered.

"What happened?" he asked, curious.

She looked down at the floor and then back up at him. She didn't say anything for a few seconds and Mark wondered what she was thinking. She didn't look like she was about to cry or anything like that. She was just…quiet.

Finally she spoke, "I'd rather not discuss it. Ready to go?"

* * *

Dawn sat back on her heels, breathing heavily, resting her head against the bed. She'd been violently ill for the better part of an hour and she was beginning to think that her stomach was going to come out through her throat. Her eyes were watering so much that she could barely see and she prayed that it would stop sometime soon. She knew it wouldn't though. She was always sick it seemed. Fortunately, someone left a garbage can by her bed. She'd discovered recently that her coordination wasn't what it once was and the last time she tried to get up and walk to the bathroom, she'd fallen on her face. She stretched her legs in front of her, wincing at the stinging she felt in her throat.

"I brought you some water."

She turned toward the doorway when she heard the voice.

"It's me, Jim," he said.

"Jim…or Steve?" she asked, her voice sounding low and coarse.

She couldn't see his face clearly but she knew he was surprised. He had to be.

"Where did you hear that?" he asked.

"I heard it..when you answered your..phone," she said, beginning to catch her breath. "Your phone that you're allowed to keep."

He sighed deeply, not saying anything.

"Why have you been..pretending she had something on you?" she asked. "Why..do you pretend you understand..what I'm going through?"

"I haven't been pretending," he shook his head. "I have the phone to keep in touch with her. That's it."

"You're lying," Dawn glared. "You're just hear to help her kill me…I just cant figure out..why she hasn't done it yet."

Dawn was about to say something else but everything stopped when she heard crying.

"Shelby?" she looked past him out the doorway.

"Savannah left her here while she and Glen go to some party," he explained.

"I wanna see her," she said. "I wanna see my baby."

"Dawn I ca-"

"Bring me my baby," she looked up at him, tears beginning to stream down her face. "Please…Please."

"Okay," he sighed. "Just wait here."

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen," Jeanette Spencer smiled from the stage. "We are delighted to welcome you to tonight's benefit sponsored by World Wrestling Entertainment and The Cambridge Agency."

"All proceeds from tonight's event, including ticket sales, are going to be donated _in full_ to the Make-A-Wish Foundation," Cory smiled, standing between her grandmother and mother. "As you all know, Make-A-Wish brings hope, strength, and incomparable joy to the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions."

"Wow," Sarah stared, standing next to Yvonne as the women continued speaking. "That family's genes should be studied by scientists. This is like looking at three generations of fembots all tall and perfect."

"You sound a little annoyed Chadwick," Owen smirked.

"I'm not annoyed," Sarah insisted. "Envious, yes, annoyed, no."

"Well I cant blame you," Owen shrugged as Cory smiled brightly, laughing at a joke Jeanette made.

Sarah stared at him, briefly considering throwing her clutch purse at him.

"I'm gonna get us some drinks," Owen said. "I'll be right back."

Sarah stared after him for a few seconds and then looked down at herself before looking back up at the stage.

"Honey, don't worry about that," Yvonne assured her. "Owen's a man. I think they have a quota of stupid things they have to say each week. They don't mean it."

She shrugged, shaking her head, "Whatever. I don't care."

"Right," Yvonne rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't."

* * *

"You know?" Lianna stared.

"Of course I _know_," Viveca nodded. "Everybody knows. Besides, you've seen Jeff, you know he's not a good liar. He couldn't keep that from me if he tried."

"And you're okay with it?" Lianna crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't love the thought of Jeff having sex with someone else but it happened a long time ago," Viveca shrugged. "It has nothing to do with me. And I think it's pretty clear that there's no chance of it ever happening again."

"Well I don't like her," Lianna shook her head. "How could she do that to Matt?"

"I don't know," Viveca finished off her glass of wine. "I think it's just as fucked up as you do."

"You think what's fucked up?" William walked over with a glass of champagne for each of them.

"Amy broke Matt's heart and slept with Jeff," Lianna frowned, her green eyes trained on the redhead who was across the room talking to Chris.

"What?" William stared.

"It's sort of a longer story than that but yeah," Viveca nodded. "Matt thought he was in love with her and she had sex with my husband…A long time ago, obviously."

"And you're okay with that?" William looked at Viveca.

"As long as she knows it'll never happen again, I'll live," Viveca shrugged. "Your little sister however is ready to go pull her hair out right now."

"Why?" William asked.

"Because of Matt," Lianna answered. "Now she just expects him to be her friend again like nothing ever happened. I don't like it."

Her siblings kept talking but Lianna stopped listening when she saw Matt and Jason walking toward them.

"Excuse me guys," she said, walking toward her friends.

She walked over, smiling, and grabbed Matt's arm, pulling him toward the door.

"What are you doing?" Matt laughed, confused.

"I need to talk to you," she said. "Alone."

"Look if you're mad that I didn't go with you to get the shoes, I'm sorry," he insisted. "I fell asleep."

"It's not about the shoes, although we will discuss that later," she said. "I just..I wanted to apologize."

"For what exactly?" he laughed. "Because there's just so much-"

"Matt, I'm being serious," she said. "I've been so annoyed with you for acting weird lately and not telling me why and I've said some things that weren't exactly nice."

He took a deep breath, looking away.

"Adam told me what happened with Amy," she reached forward, taking his hand. "I'm sorry, I had no idea."

He pulled his hand away, "It's none of your business. That's why you had no idea."

She was surprised at how annoyed he seemed at her apology, "Matt, I-"

"You just couldn't let it go, you had to go digging around until somebody gave you the story, huh?" he shook his head.

"I didn't!" she insisted. "I wasn't digging. I-"

"I don't wanna talk about this," he put his hand up. "And I don't need you pitying me Lianna. Just…just go find Dave and leave me alone tonight, okay?"

Before she could say anything else, he walked away and she was left staring.

She put her hands on her hips, watching him, "What the hell just happened?"

* * *

Hunter watched as Cory left a group of people Mrs. Rutledge had informed him were investors she was courting. Cory had her fakest smile beaming but the men didn't seem to notice. They were all too busy staring at her body in that dress. She'd excused herself when she caught Hunter's gaze.

"Well, well, I was wondering when you'd show up," she smiled, giving him a quick hug. "How are you?"

"Good," he smiled. "How are you?"

"Okay," she shrugged. "My cheeks are a little sore from the smiling but I'll tough it out."

"Where's John?" he questioned. He hadn't seen him since he arrived.

"I lost him the second Tom Brady got here," Cory explained. "My mother introduced them and he was gone."

Hunter laughed. If Cena was anything, he was a die hard Patriots Fan.

"How's Mark doing?" Hunter asked.

"He's okay," she shrugged. "He's been quiet but he's smiled a few times and stayed away from the bar so I guess that's all I can ask. He came with Glen and Jacinda."

"Where's the baby?" Hunter frowned.

"She said Shelby's with her parents," Cory answered. "And where's your date?"

"Don't have one," Hunter laughed. "I think your mother likes it better that way."

"She does have a crush on you," Cory smiled. "You know, I think she's a little tipsy. If you tried…"

"No thank you," he put a hand up.

"Listen, I've been meaning to talk to you," she put a hand on his arm. "What happened with you and Jessie?"

"You heard about that?" he sighed.

"Jessica's my sister, remember?" she smiled. "But I wanna hear what you have to say about it."

"I don't really know what to say," he admitted. "I just..I don't know what happened. She kissed me and I just..froze."

"I don't get it," Cory shook her head, confused. "I thought that you wanted-"

"I don't know what I want," Hunter shrugged. "And I don't wanna lead Jessica on while I try to figure it out."

"Is there someone else?" she asked.

Hunter wanted to tell her that she didn't want to know the answer to that question but instead he just shook his head, "No..there's no one else."

She looked suspicious but she shrugged, "Okay..whatever you say. I've gotta go get something out of my purse, I'm getting a headache. If my mother comes looking for me can you just tell her where I went?"

"Of course," he nodded.

* * *

Cory walked as fast as she could without running anyone over as she made her way to the coatroom.

"Ms. Samms?"

She stopped when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see a very pretty blonde woman standing beside an attractive man she didn't recognize. They were both staring at her expectantly.

"That would be me," she smiled.

"I'm Owen Wagner," the young man explained, offering her his hand. "This is Sarah Chadwick."

Cory shook hands with both of them, "I'd introduce myself but you seem to know who I am…What can I do for you?"

"Well," Owen said. "I uh…I'm a forensic scientist for the state of New Jersey. I handle pretty much all of the cases that come through the central region of the state."

Cory felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt goosebumps pop up on her skin, "I-is this about Dawn?"

"Forgive Mr. Wagner, he isn't very good at knowing how to approach things," Ms. Chadwick gave him a stern look, "I'm Sarah, I'm a reporter with the Chronicle."

"You're a reporter?" Cory felt herself tense. She was truly reaching her wits end with the media.

"Well yes but-"

"You know, you people really amaze me," she shook her head. "How crude do you have to be to come to a charity event for a story?" Cory sneered. Neither of them answered and she brushed past them toward the door.

"Ms. Samms you don't understand," Owen followed her with Sarah in tow.

"You're right," she whirled on them. "I don't understand you people. And you don't understand me. There is _no way_ that you could understand that I have not slept through the night in _months_ because I wake up with _nightmares_ of all the terrible things that may have happened to my _best friend_. You couldn't possibly understand that my other best friend, has been tearing himself apart, _blaming_ himself for whatever it is that happened to Dawn. And he may never get to see the child she was carrying. _His_ child."

"We're very sorry," Sarah said softly.

"Yeah," she nodded, her voice shaking. "You are."

* * *

Sarah stood at the doorway as Corinne furiously whipped through the coat racks. She finally found what she was looking for and pulled a pill bottle out of a purse. She was extremely upset, evident by her violently shaking hands. Sarah couldn't blame her, she and Owen hadn't exactly gone about approaching her in the best way. She was breathing hard and sounded as if she was about to cry when she turned and spotted Sarah.

"You're not nearly as easy to get rid of as you should be," she said, her blue eyes shooting daggers at Sarah as she popped pills into her mouth.

"Can I show you something?" Sarah asked, undeterred.

"I'm guessing you wont leave until you do so you go right ahead," she sneered.

Sarah pulled the picture she and Michael took before the prom out of her purse and held it out to the other woman.

Cory reluctantly took it.

"His name is Michael," Sarah explained. "He was my best friend in the world before I went off to college."

"And?" Cory shrugged.

"We grew apart," Sarah said, biting her bottom lip. "It was my fault…And now he's dead. He was shot."

Their eyes met and Sarah could instantly see regret settle into Cory's features. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"The reason I came here today is that Owen and I…we think that Michael's death and Dawn Marie's disappearance may be tied together," Sarah explained. "I want to know why this happened to him. Michael was an _incredible_ person and it sounds like Dawn was too. I cant tell you what I would give to just turn back time and be there with him to make sure this didn't happen….But I cant..and now I feel like I owe it to him to at least, _at least_ find out what happened to him."

Cory was looking away, her jaw clenching and unclenching.

"I know Dawn was your best friend," Sarah said. "I know that you loved her like family. I can tell…I couldn't save Michael..but I really believe that there might be a way for us to save her. I cant explain why, I just feel it in my gut and so does Owen…but we need your help…Please Ms. Samms."

The taller woman sighed and she looked up at the ceiling, blinking a few times before training her eyes on Sarah, "You can call me Cory. Ms. Samms just sounds weird."

Sarah smiled, relief washing over her.

"I don't know how I can help you," Cory shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know anything about what happened."

"You can give us some insight into Dawn Marie's life," Owen explained. "You can answer questions that police reports and public records cant."

"Did you try talking to Mark?" Cory asked.

"No," Sarah shook her head. "We came to you first. We were hoping that with you on board, we'd have a better chance of getting him to talk to us."

"You're probably right," Cory nodded, rubbing her right temple. "We're gonna be really busy through Tuesday. I'll be back in New York late Tuesday night. I can get him to come with me and you can come by on Wednesday if you like."

"That's fine. That's perfect," Sarah said, thankful that Cory was willing to work with them.

"Okay," Cory sighed. She walked over to her purse and pulling out a cell phone, "What's your phone number? I'll call you in the next few days."

Sarah recited the number and Cory programmed it into the phone then put it away.

"Okay," she wiped her thumb under her eyes. "I have a benefit to finish hosting. How do I look?"

"You look great," Sarah assured her and Cory gave her a weak smile before walking toward the door.

"Cory," Sarah called.

"Yeah?" she turned back around.

"Thank you so much for helping us."

Cory smiled, "Thank you. Just…don't make me regret it."

* * *

**Okay so I know John doesn't appear in this chapter. He will in the next so nobody yell at me. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20...**

"Hello again everyone," Cory smiled from the stage. "I want to say thank you to everyone for coming tonight. You all know how important it is that we raise money for such an amazing organization."

A few people clapped and Cory continued, "There are some people who do a lot more than just donate money to charity. They give their time. And I have been given the great privilege tonight of presenting a very special plaque to the celebrity that has granted the most wishes for the Make A Wish Foundation in the last year…John Cena."

The crowd applauded and Cory smiled at John who was standing near the stage, looking surprised.

She waved for him to come up and he smiled, walking up the steps and onto the stage, "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"It was a surprise," Cory smirked as two men brought a large plaque up onto the stage. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," he smiled, kissing her on the cheek as some executives from the foundation came up to talk to him. Cory looked out into the crowd as John began speaking. She saw Owen and Sarah talking to a woman she didn't recognize and she thought back to their conversation earlier. She'd been so annoyed until Sarah told her that she'd lost her friend. She knew that the young woman was being sincere. She could feel it.

"Hey."

Cory jumped when she felt a hand on her back. She turned to see John looking concerned.

"You're done already?" she asked, looking around and seeing that attention was no longer on the stage.

"I'm a man of few words tonight," he shrugged. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded, taking his hand. "I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay," he shrugged. "What?"

"We need to find Mark first," she said, leading him off the stage.

They didn't have to search for too long, Mark was at the bar, waiting for a drink.

"Before you say anything, this is my first one," he pointed at Cory.

"Good, but I wasn't going to say anything," Cory said. "I need to talk to you two about something. Something important."

Both men waited for her to continue and she took a deep breath before speaking, "I met two people tonight that think they might be able to help us find out what happened to Dawn."

John looked confused while Mark's expression didn't change.

"What do you mean they can help?" John asked. "Are they cops?"

"No," she admitted. "A forensic scientist and a..a reporter."

"A reporter?" Mark made a face. "Cory, come on now. You-"

"I know, I know," Cory put her hands up. "But she seemed sincere. They want to help. I told them we'd meet with them on Wednesday."

* * *

John could tell that Mark was completely skeptical and so was he. A reporter being involved just put a bad taste in his mouth but Cory seemed convinced.

"You said we'd do this without talking to me?" Mark asked.

"I figured you would say yes," Cory said. "Mark, it's better that we try _something_ than just sit here wondering."

Mark's jaw clenched but he nodded.

Cory looked at John for approval and he shrugged, "Whatever you wanna do."

"Just keep an open mind," Cory said. "That's all I'm asking you guys to do."

"Alright," Mark nodded.

John looked around, wondering who these people were but he didn't see anyone he didn't recognize. He stopped scanning the crowd when he saw Jacinda. She was about 10 feet away and her eyes were locked on Mark. He couldn't quite decipher the look on her face but there was no questioning who she was looking at.

"You alright Cena?" Mark asked.

"Yeah," John nodded, turning his attention back to Mark and Cory, deciding not to mention Jacinda's gaze. "I'm good."

* * *

Jessica tapped her fingers against her champagne glass, her chin resting in her other hand as she watched the people around her. Her sister was deep in a conversation with Mark and John. William was talking to Dave and Lianna, though Dave didn't seem to be paying much attention. Torrie was surrounded by three football players whose advances Jessica had spurned about 10 minutes earlier. She looked to the area where quite a few people were dancing and saw Hunter twirling Viveca around while Jeff stood off to the side, laughing with Jason. Hunter hadn't said a word to her all night and it was really beginning to upset her. He'd never treated her this way before. With frustration and champagne as her fuel, she got up from her seat and walked over to her friends. She reached them just as they stopped dancing.

"Jessica, don't dance with him," Viveca warned. "He's got two left feet."

"I know," she said. She put a hand on Hunter's arm, "Can we talk in private?"

Hunter looked mildly apprehensive but he nodded, "Sure. We'll be back."

Hunter led the way away from the crowds of people, past security. They stopped near the front doors and Hunter took off his suit jacket, draping it around her shoulders to shield her from the cold coming in from outside. The gesture was a glimpse of the man she'd been searching for the last few weeks.

She shook her head, confused, "What the hell is going on with us?"

"I don't know," he admitted.

"You've been avoiding me," she crossed her arms over her chest, hoping she didn't sound as hurt as she was.

"I know," he nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. "And I'm sorry. I just haven't been sure how to deal with you…That kiss caught me completely off guard. I know I haven't handled the situation very well."

"No, you haven't," she smiled wistfully. "But..I understand being surprised. It's not like I planned it. It just happened."

"I have a question and I don't want you to get angry about it," he said.

She nodded for him to continue.

"Did you kiss me because you wanted to or because you were upset?"

Jessica looked down at her hands, thinking carefully about her answer. She hadn't really taken the time to consider that there could be more than one reason that they kissed.

"Honestly…I think it's a little of both," she shrugged. "Did you want me to kiss you?"

He shrugged, an apologetic expression shaping his features, "I don't know. Jessie, things aren't as cut and dry with us as I used to think."

She knew that was true, though she hadn't wanted to admit it. She'd been wondering in the last few days if she'd missed her chance with Hunter. When he made it clear that he wanted her, she didn't want him and now that she did, sometimes it seemed that he didn't want her back. She just couldn't understand why.

"Is this just about us or is there someone else coming into play?" she asked.

He looked surprised by her question and paused before answering, "Just us. There isn't anyone else."

Relief washed over her but she tried to keep it to herself. Instead she wrapped his jacket tightly around herself and sighed, "Maybe we just need to focus on our friendship for right now and see where things go from there. If it's meant to be more, it will be, right?"

He smiled, "Right. I think that's the best way to handle this."

"Good," she smiled. "But when we go back in here, don't be surprised if I stay by your side. One of Mrs. Rutledge's investors keeps telling me I'm gonna be his next wife."

* * *

Dawn waited impatiently, staring at the doorway. After helping her get cleaned up, Jim had gone into another room. After a minute or so, she heard her. Shelby was crying, loudly.

"She's got a set of pipes on her," he winced as he entered the room.

Her mouth was wide open and she was screaming at the top of her little lungs. Dawn held out her arms and he placed the precious little girl in her arms.

If he said anything else, Dawn didn't hear him. He no longer existed to her. There was no one in the room but her and her beautiful baby. Shelby's crying quieted to a sniffle in her mother's arms and tears sprang to Dawn's eyes as she took in the sight of her daughter. Dawn's vision was blurred but she didn't need to see clearly to know that Shelby was the most beautiful baby two people ever created. She had Mark's icy green eyes and a head full of hair that was dark brown with just a hint a red.

Shelby's tiny hands reached up, her fingers brushing against Dawn's chin.

"She never acts like this with Savannah."

Dawn looked up, eyes shooting daggers at her captor, "That's because _Savannah_ is not her _mother_."

He didn't say anything else and Dawn quickly focused her attention back to her child. She knew she wouldn't have too much time with her and she wanted to savor every second. She needed to. She closed her eyes tightly, kissing Shelby's forehead, praying with everything she had that she would get out of this.

"This wont be the last time I hold you," she whispered against her baby's forehead. "I promise."

* * *

Matt finished off his drink and placed the empty glass on the bar, nodding for the bartender to refill it.

"You look like you're having a good time," Jason walked over, patting him on the arm.

Matt shrugged, "It's alright."

"I was just talking to Lianna," Jason informed him.

Matt rolled his eyes, "And she told you big bad Matt was mean to her?"

"Not in those words," Jason smirked. "You need to cut her some slack."

"For digging into my personal life?" Matt asked.

"In case you hadn't noticed, no one around here has a personal life," Jason laughed. "And she wasn't digging. Adam saw you duck out to avoid Amy earlier and told Li the story."

"You gonna tell me she hasn't tried to get it out of you?" Matt asked, still annoyed.

"Of course she has, because she's been trying to find out what's wrong with you," Jason answered. "She'd probably never admit it but she cares about you and your feelings. If she used what she found out as ammunition to torment you, I'd understand being mad but she'd never do that and I think you know that. She just wants to be your friend. Don't let your issues with someone who walked away from you mess up your friendship with someone that just wants to be there for you."

Matt sighed, knowing Jason was right. He shouldn't have snapped at Lianna the way he did. Despite their constant bickering, they had become pretty good friends.

Jason shrugged, "Just think about it."

* * *

"You are a hard man to get an audience with Mr. Cena."

John smiled when he heard the pleasant female voice behind him. He turned around, smiling when he saw Jeanette Spencer looking impeccable from head to toe in a red evening gown.

"I always have time for you," he smiled, hugging the older woman. "I should have brought my mother."

"You did say she was a big fan," Jeanette smiled. "She and I will have to do lunch."

"She would lose her mind," John laughed.

"Well, we'll try to avoid that," Jeanette laughed. "I came over because I have someone who wants to meet you."

"Who's that?" John looked around.

"Stephen!" Jeanette called to someone a few feet away.

A tall man with broad shoulders and gray hair turned toward them and smiled.

"John Cena," Jeanette smiled. "This is my ex husband Stephen Caine."

"Must you always introduce me as your ex husband?" Stephen winced. "It gives a bad impression."

"Great to meet your Mr. Caine," John extended his hand. John was surprised. He'd expected the head of a computer systems company to look much more..frail.

"Nice to meet you son," Stephen smiled, shaking his hand.

"He's been complaining that you're involved with our granddaughter and he hasn't met you yet," Jeanette elbowed Stephen in the side.

"I have not been complaining," Stephen insisted. "I may have commented once or twice."

"Your granddaughter is incredible," John smiled. "I'm a very lucky man."

"Yes you are," Stephen agreed. "I'm glad you know it."

"I told you you'd like him," Jeanette gloated.

"I've been talking to him for two minutes Jeanette," Stephen laughed.

"Two minutes too long without my supervision," Cory walked up with a glass of champagne. "Who authorized this?"

"I don't need your permission to scrutinize your boyfriend," Stephen said, wrapping an arm around Cory's shoulders and planting a kiss on top of her head.

"Leave him alone, I don't want you to scare him away," Cory laughed.

"If he's smart nothing could," Stephen gave John a pointed look. "Not even your mother."

"She's tried," John laughed, relieved that even the man who helped raise Adelle could see that she wasn't the most pleasant person on Earth.

"Oh dear you leave Addie to me," Jeanette smirked. "I know how to put her in her place."

"I'll keep that in mind," John smiled as Cory stood next to him and he put his arm around her waist.

"You know, I've been keeping up with your shows and I just have to say, I really enjoy watching you work," Jeanette put a hand on John's arm.

"Gram, are you flirting with my boyfriend?" Cory laughed.

"And right in front of me," Stephen shook his head.

"You two always have your minds in the gutter," Jeanette rolled her eyes. She turned her attention to John again, "Ignore them, I'm being serious. I love seeing a person do what they love to do and I can tell when I watch you that you love what you're doing. It's a great sight to see."

"Thank you Ms. Spencer," John said, genuinely flattered. It was always good to hear from someone that they could see his passion for his work.

"The sight of you shirtless doesn't hurt," Jeanette shrugged, taking a sip from her glass.

"Gram!" Cory laughed.

John placed a small kiss on the side of Cory's head as they continued talking to her grandparents. It was interesting to him that he could be so comfortable around some members of her family and so incredibly uneasy around others. He could definitely see who she took after.

As if on cue, Adelle Rutledge walked over to the group, plastic smile firmly in place.

"Well isn't this a lovely group?" Adelle smiled, awkwardly hugging her mother and giving Stephen a kiss on the cheek.

"Stephen, haven't you found a better date than my mother yet?" Adelle laughed.

"Dear I brought Stephen purely for his money," Jeanette joked. "You know, if you'd hit up all of your ex-husbands for donations we wouldn't have needed this benefit."

Adelle closed her mouth and John could see her jaw clenching. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cory clenching her teeth on the edge of her champagne glass to keep from laughing out loud. He suddenly had an urge to high five Jeanette but he kept that to himself.

"We're almost done here," Adelle regained her composure. "I hope you all had a good time."

"Absolutely," John nodded. "Thank you for putting all of this together."

Adelle smiled, "It was a pleasure."

* * *

Savannah watched as they left the benefit. She could feel her muscles growing so tense they seemed like bricks, weighing her body down. She didn't know what two of them said to Cory but she was sure she didn't like it. Cory walked out of the coat room looking..hopeful, almost excited. Savannah could just feel in her bones that she needed to do something about them. She wondered if she could follow them and get back without Glenn knowing she'd left. She looked over at the clock on the wall, disappointed when she saw that things would be wrapping up soon. There was no way she'd have time.

"There you are."

She smiled, turning when she heard her husband's voice, "Were you looking for me?"

"Yeah for a while now," Glenn smiled, wrapping his arms around her.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was just getting ready to call and check on Shelby."

* * *

"This was an.._interesting_ night," Cory laughed, walking into the apartment as John held the door open for her.

"That it was," John agreed, closing the door behind her and taking off his jacket. "Are you sure about these two people you met? I mean what if-"

"I mentioned them to Stephen," Cory said, taking her jewelry off. "He called to have a background check done right away. Until that's done, I don't wanna discuss it."

"Is he having one done on me?" John smirked.

"I'm sure he's already done that," Cory laughed, tossing her purse onto the couch. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"I hadn't really thought about it," John shrugged. "Did you want me to?"

Cory smiled, "I wouldn't mind."

"Then I will," he walked over, standing in front of her. It had been a struggle all night to keep his hands off of her and now with no one to interrupt, all he could think about was getting her out of her dress.

"Can you help me with this?" she asked, turning around, pointing to her zipper. "It took two people to get me into this thing."

"I'll do what I can," John smirked, slowly undoing the zipper, inhaling the scent of her perfume and shampoo. He took his time with the long zipper, enjoying watching the dress part to reveal her smooth skin. It went down far enough to show him the top of a pair of white lace panties.

He cleared his throat and she giggled, "Done?"

"Not exactly," he turned her around, feeling his breath catch in his throat when she let the top of her dress fall and then pushed the rest down over her hips, leaving her in her heels and panties. That was all the cue he needed. He pulled her against him, kissing her passionately. Her hands quickly traveled down his shirt, undoing the buttons and pushing it back over his shoulders. Once the shirt was on the floor, he walked backward toward the couch, their lips never parting as he sat down and pulled her onto his lap. He'd spent many a night thinking about the feeling of her skin against his since he hadn't been able to get her alone but his dreams were no comparison to the real thing. He smiled against her lips when her hands went to the top of his pants. Before she undid them though, her left hand reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and tossing it onto the floor, then she reached in further, pulling out his cell phone. For the first time since they started kissing, she pulled away, smiling.

"What are you doing?" he asked out of breath.

"Turning it off," she answered, pressing a button and holding it until the phone beeped to signal it was powering off. "I turned mine off in the car."

He smiled, pulling her down into another kiss as she tossed his phone onto a nearby chair, "Have I ever told you how smart you are?"

* * *

Wednesday…

"Jesus Christ Cory, why are you driving like a maniac?" Mark asked, bracing himself as Cory turned right, barely tapping her foot on the brake.

"We're late," Cory answered, stopping at a red light.

"I'm aware, you two were a half hour late picking me up," Mark laughed.

"We uh..had some trouble getting out of bed this morning," John smirked, rubbing the side of his head.

"I don't ever want to hear anything like that out of you again," Mark pointed. He turned his attention back to Cory, "And you should have just told them to expect you to be late. You're always late."

"I am not _always_ late," Cory insisted.

Mark rolled his eyes and Cory laughed, "Okay, fine, maybe I am."

"So I'm guessing Stephen's background check came back clean," John said.

Cory nodded, "Everything checked out."

"I just hope you're prepared for nothing to come of this," Mark sighed. "I don't know what these people can do that the cops couldn't."

"Exactly Mark, we don't know," Cory insisted. "So let's just try to have open minds. Please."

"Alright," Mark said, bracing himself again as she turned again. "Just try not to kill me first."

She pulled up to the front of her building, putting the car in park and leaving the keys in the ignition as they got out, "See, you're in one piece."

"Thanks to a higher power," Mark smirked. As they Cory rushed into the building. He turned to John, "What time were we supposed to be here?"

"20 minutes ago."

* * *

"Maybe they changed their minds," Sarah paced back and forth. "I cant say I blame them…this whole thing would sound ridiculous to anyone. Especially people who are grieving. I mean, I wonder how many people have tried to-"

"Sarah you really need to lay off the caffeine," Owen advised. "You're entirely too high strung for someone so young."

Sarah and Yvonne both glared at him.

"What?" he asked. "It was just a suggestion."

They ignored him, talking to each other in hushed tones and Owen laughed, shaking his head. Yvonne had treated him as one of her own his whole life and now she was ganging up on him with Sarah.

He looked up when he heard one of the doormen saying, "Ms. Samms, where's the fire?"

"Heads up," he nodded in their direction and Sarah looked relieved.

Cory rushed into the building followed by men he recognized as John Cena and Mark Callaway. The doorman smiled brightly at her and she laughed, "I'm late as usual, can you park the car for me?"

"Of course," the doorman took the keys. "I'll bring these up in a few minutes."

"Thank you," she smiled. Then, after looking around a bit, she seemed to notice them sitting at a table near the elevators. She waved for the men to follow her. Owen wasn't easily intimidated but he had to admit, something about the sight of two men their size coming toward him was incredibly nerve wracking. He wasn't exactly a pip squeak but they were...significantly larger than him.

"Sorry I'm late," Cory flashed a smile that probably got her out of a lot of late arrivals. "John, Mark, this is Owen Wagner, Sarah Chadwick and...I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"Yvonne Masters," Yvonne reached her hand out, seeming impressed with the young woman in front of her. "I work with Owen in the lab."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Masters," Cory smiled.

"Please call me Yvonne," she waved away the formality.

"Sounds good," Cory laughed. "This is Mark Callaway and my boyfriend John Cena."

"You know, I have a son who absolutely adores all of you," Yvonne smiled.

"Glad to hear it," Mark said. "We'll see if Cory has a t-shirt or something in here for us to sign and you can take it home to him."

Yvonne looked surprised and she smiled from ear to ear, "That would be great."

They were smiling but Owen could tell they were apprehensive. He couldn't blame them. Sarah was right, this situation did sound pretty far fetched. Everyone exchanged pleasantries and then Cory led the way to the elevator. It was a quiet ride up 12 floors before the bell rung and the doors opened. There were two doors on opposite ends of the hall, Cory led them to the one on the right. Sarah and Yvonne complimented Cory on what a nice building it was while Mark remained quiet. John lagged behind as Cory reached the door and unlocked it quickly.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" he asked Owen as the women walked in.

"You need help Cena?" Mark asked, hesitating at the door.

John shook his head and Mark shrugged, walking in and closing the door behind him.

"Sure," Owen put his hands in his pockets. "What's up?"

"Listen, Owen, you seem like a nice enough guy so far so I'm gonna be totally honest with you and I hope you'll pay me that same respect," John said.

"Okay," Owen waited.

"Cory is very important to me," John said. "And when it comes to Dawn, she's willing to do anything and listen to just about anyone if she thinks it might help her."

"I understand that," Owen nodded.

"And because of that..if I even for _one second_ think that you're leading her on, or setting her up to get hurt…I'll hurt you," John informed him.

"Got it," Owen said, a lump forming in his throat. He didn't have anything to hide and he wasn't looking to swindle anyone but that kind of a threat was enough to make anyone nervous.

"I'm glad we understand each other," John said, opening the door and walking into the apartment.

"Where were you two?" Cory asked as they walked into the living room.

"Just talking," John shrugged walking over and kissing her on the forehead.

Owen took a deep breath, his life had certainly gotten interesting.

* * *

Glenn watched as his wife paced back and forth, her arms crossed over her chest. She'd seemed on edge all day and it didn't seem to be getting any better. He'd tried all morning to get her to tell him what was wrong but he couldn't get anything out of her. She just kept insisting that she was fine.

"Why don't you just let me go get Shelby?" he suggested. Shelby was with her parents, whom Glenn had never met, and she was supposed to leave to go get her soon.

"No!" she exclaimed, turning to face him. Her brown eyes were angry, her nostrils flared. "Why would you want to do that? You've never even _met_ my parents!"

Glenn put his hands up, "I'm just trying to help. Jacinda, you've been freaking over nothing all day. What do you want me to do?"

Her expression softened and she walked over to him, resting her forehead against his chest.

Glenn was totally confused. She'd always been a little moody but the last few days were pretty intense. She sagged against him and he could feel tears soaking through his shirt.

"Hey," he sat down, pulling her onto his lap. "What's going on? Talk to me."

"I'm just so tired," she sniffed, wiping her thumbs under her eyes. "I don't like to complain, really I don't but…I came back to work so soon after Shelby and handling everything for you isn't so bad but everything I have to do for Cory, plus trying to do everything for Shelby is just…hard. I feel stretched thin Glenn. I don't know what to do."

He wrapped his arms protectively around her, slowly rubbing her back, "Everything's gonna be alright. I promise."

She nuzzled against him, "I'm sorry I snapped at you like that. I just, I'd rather go alone to get Shelby. I wanna go quickly and if you come, my parents will keep you there for hours."

"You know, I have to meet them eventually," he reminded her.

"You will," she insisted. "I promise."

* * *

Amy dragged her bags behind her, glad she would soon be able to drop them on the floor of her bedroom and sleep for hours. She was finally back in North Carolina after two weeks without a day off thanks to house shows and personal appearances. She stopped walking when she heard a loud voice saying 'Oh My God' and then saw a large group of teenagers coming toward her. She thought she'd done a pretty good job of disguising herself. Her hair was all tucked into a cap. She wasn't wearing any makeup and she had on baggy sweats. But still, they were coming right for her.

She smiled, ready to sign autographs when, to her surprise, they went right past her. Frowning, she turned around to see who they were headed for and she laughed a little when she saw him. Matt Hardy had been about 15 paces behind her when he got stopped. He smiled graciously, signing autographs for whoever asked. Amy walked cautiously close, deciding to wait out the crowd. She hadn't been able to catch Matt in one place long enough to get him to talk to her and this seemed as good a time as any. He couldn't make that hasty of an exit without causing a scene. Once everyone was gone, she walked over to him as he was picking up his bags.

"Can you just sign one more?" she asked.

"Sure," he smiled, looking up from what he was doing. His smile faded when he saw her, "What are you doing here?"

"I live around here, remember?" she smiled.

"Yeah I sort of forgot since I hadn't heard from you in so long," Matt shrugged.

Amy took note of his pointed comment, nodding, "Yeah, I've been trying to talk to you since I got back. Do you have a minute?"

"I guess," he shrugged. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I just…I want to know if it's possible for us to be friends again," she said. "I miss what we had. I miss hanging out with you. I just wanna forget about everything that happened and…focus on what made us so close, you know?"

Matt looked away, "I don't know Amy. The way things ended up…"

"It was bad, I know," she nodded. "Just think about it. Please."

"I'll think about it," he agreed. "But listen, I've gotta go. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, okay," she nodded, hurt. She'd hoped that if she could just get him to listen to her for a second, he'd welcome her back with open arms.

"Bye."

* * *

"Where the hell is Matt?" Lianna asked, looking at Dave's watch. "His flight was supposed to land right after ours."

Lianna, Dave, Viveca, and Jeff were all waiting for Matt so they could head out to Cameron. Dave and Lianna were staying at Jeff and Viveca's house for a couple days

"Maybe there was a delay," Jeff suggested. "We all know how those things can be."

"Is that him?" Viveca pointed to someone in the distance.

"Yeah that's him. Who's that guy he's talking to?" Dave squinted.

"No idea," Jeff shook his head.

Lianna stared, trying to figure out who it was and her features quickly formed an angry expression, "That's no guy."

"It's not?" Dave laughed.

"Is that Amy?" Viveca asked.

"Yup," Lianna nodded as the two parted ways.

"Well here he comes," Jeff stood up. "Everybody got everything together?"

"Yeah, I just have one quick thing to take care of," Lianna stood up.

"What?" Dave asked, sounding suspicious.

"Just a quick talk with Amy, that's all," Lianna shrugged. "I'll be right back."

"I don't think that's such a-"

Dave didn't bother finishing his sentence. Lianna was already walking away.

"It's best if you just let them do as they please," Jeff suggested.

* * *

"Amy! Wait up!"

Amy turned around, surprised to hear someone using her real name, especially after she'd been completely ignored by a group of fans earlier.

She turned, confused when she saw Lianna Johnson walking toward her.

_This should be good_

"Lianna," she took a deep breath. "You know, I'm really in a hurry, I-"

"Don't worry, I'll make this as quick as I possibly can," Lianna said, putting her hands on her hips. She had a defensive stance like her sister. "I just want to talk to you about Matt."

"What about Matt?" Amy asked.

"I was just wondering…why now?" Lianna asked. "Why are you trying so hard to be his friend now? Why didn't you do this right after everything happened?"

Amy looked away, jaw clenching.

"Why haven't you tried to make up with him the _entire_ time you were gone?" Lianna asked.

Amy didn't appreciate this girl, who didn't know her at all, questioning her about something so personal.

"And since I'm asking questions, have you even apologized for what happened?" Lianna inquired. "Or did you just give him one of those pathetic little _let's just put it all in the past_ spiels that people pull out of their asses when they don't really regret what they did but they want people to get over it?"

Amy glared at the shorter woman, "That's none of your business."

"Actually, it is my business," Lianna insisted. "Because Matt is my friend and I don't want to see him let you in just so you can hurt him again."

"I don't plan on hurting anyone," Amy crossed her arms over her chest. Although the thought of knocking Lianna around was beginning to cross her mind.

"Good," Lianna smiled. "Because if you hurt Matt..I'd hurt you. And I would _thoroughly_ enjoy it. Now I better go. Enjoy your time off."

* * *

"Have you or Dawn ever known or been involved with anyone that you would consider..mentally unstable?" Sarah asked, pen poised above her notepad.

Mark scoffed, "I have."

"Who?" John asked.

"Her name was Savannah," Mark answered. "She and I were together before I was with Dawn. She was one of the most unstable people I've ever met."

"Would she have had reason to dislike Dawn?" Owen asked.

"Probably," Mark shrugged. "But she didn't have anything to do with this. She was one of the first people I thought of but the cops checked it out. She lives in Europe, wasn't in the country when Dawn was taken."

"That names sounds familiar," Sarah frowned. "Do you know her last name?"

Mark nodded, "It was Holbrook."

* * *


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21...**

Matt walked into the kitchen, looking for Lianna. He hadn't seen her since they got to the house and he really wanted to talk to her. He'd overheard what she said to Amy and her threat to hurt his former friend made him feel terrible for the way he'd treated her. Jason was right, even though they bickered constantly, she cared about him and he didn't want to take that for granted.

He looked out the window and spotted her sitting on a picnic table, looking down at her phone, the wind whipping her dark hair around her face.

He walked out the back door, putting his hands in his pockets. It wasn't freezing but it wasn't exactly weather to be sitting outside if you didn't have to be.

"Hey, what are you doing out here by yourself?" he asked as he approached.

"I was just calling my mom," she answered, sniffing. Her nose was red and he couldn't tell if it was from the cold or she'd been upset. Her eyes weren't red but they did look sad.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Just tired."

He sat next to her, resting his elbows on his knees, looking over at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she raised a brow.

"Because I'm trying to decide how to go about what I want to say," he answered honestly. He wasn't exactly great with apologies, Jeff had always told him that.

"I find it's usually best to just spit it out," she said. "Besides, I don't plan on sitting out here forever so you may want to hurry it up."

He sighed, sitting up straight and adjusting so that he was straddling the bench, facing her, "I'm sorry Lianna."

She looked surprised, "What was that?"

"I'm sorry," he shrugged. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

"And the ignoring me for days?" she crossed her arms over her chest. He laughed, knowing she wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"Yeah, that too," he admitted. "I'm sorry I just…I've been so tense lately and..I took my frustration out on you."

She nodded, "Yeah that was pretty bad."

"_And_ I'm sorry for not telling you what happened myself," he said quietly. "I just…I didn't really want to talk about it. It's pretty damn embarrassing."

She considered his apology, looking out into the distance with a thoughtful expression.

"It's alright," she shrugged. "I understand why you got mad and I understand why you didn't tell me. I just want you to know that you can talk to me, you know?"

"I know that now," he nodded. "Especially after I heard what you said to Amy today."

She looked surprised and for the first time he could remember since he'd met her, Lianna's cheeks looked flushed. She was blushing.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she feigned innocence.

"Okay, play it that way," he laughed, getting up and offering her his hand. "You ready to go inside?"

"Yeah it's getting cold," she shrugged.

They walked back to the house and when they entered the kitchen, Jeff gave them a quizzical look.

"Uh, Li, Viveca's looking for you. She's upstairs," he informed her.

"By looking for me, do you mean just waiting for me to come up there?" Lianna smiled.

"You know your sister well," Jeff nodded.

When Lianna left the room, Jeff put down the newspaper he'd been looking at and turned to his brother, "What was that?"

"What?" Matt asked, confused, picking up an apple from the counter.

"You two walked up here holding hands," Jeff pointed.

Matt laughed, shaking his head, "No we didn't."

* * *

"So what do we do now?" Sarah asked as she, Owen, and Yvonne drove back to New Jersey.

"I don't know yet," Owen sighed. "Yvonne, any ideas?"

Yvonne shrugged.

"I still think we need to look into that Savannah woman that Mark told us about," Sarah said.

"Sarah you heard him," Owen said. "The woman wasn't in the country. The cops already covered that."

"I know I just…I don't know," Sarah leaned back, looking at her notes. That name just kept popping up in her head and she couldn't shake it. But Owen was right, they should probably focus on other areas. "Did the cops take anything out of Michael's apartment?"

"Yeah," Owen answered. "They took a couple boxes of stuff but nothing came from it."

"Is there any way we could get a hold of those?" she chewed the end of her pen.

"Yvonne?" Owen looked toward her.

"I'll call the department when we get back to the lab," Yvonne said. "I know a guy, he cant say no to me."

* * *

Cory walked down the hall toward Jessica's door, knowing that she was smiling like an idiot. She'd had the same smile plastered on her face since she met with Owen and Sarah. She couldn't help it. She hadn't felt this hopeful in a very long time. She'd been careful not to. But something told her that this could actually work. They might actually find Dawn.

She stopped at her sister's room, tapping lightly on the door.

Her smile fell when she saw her sister. Jessica's dark hair was pulled up into a messy bun atop her head and she wore an old Smackdown t-shirt and sweats. The look on her face said a thousand words. Something was wrong.

"Hey," Jessica attempted a smile, waving her inside.

"What happened?" Cory asked quickly.

"Nothing," Jessica shrugged. "Why?"

"Because you look...mopey," Cory walked in, unable to think of a nicer word.

Jessica was about to argue but then she shrugged, plopping down on the couch, "Damn sisterly connection."

Cory shrugged, "It's a curse. What happened?"

"Hunter," Jessica sighed. "We had a talk at the benefit."

"And?" Cory gestured for her to continue.

"And he's not interested," Jessica rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure he didn't say that." Cory shook her head.

"He admitted that he's been avoiding me and he said that the kiss caught him totally off guard," Jessica explained. "I asked if he wanted me to kiss him and he said he didn't know but..he hesitated before he said it. He looked like he felt..I don't know..guilty almost. I know Hunter. He said he wasn't sure what he wanted but..he was trying to protect my feelings."

"Jess.." Cory wasn't entirely sure what to say. She wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders.

"I shouldn't be that upset," Jessica sighed, resting her head against Cory's. "I mean..I had every chance with him before and I didn't try. That whole 'don't know what you got til it's gone thing' is a real bitch."

"It is," Cory sighed. "But it'll all work out."

"I know," Jessica nodded. "It's just gonna suck for a while."

"You never know," Cory tried to brighten the mood. "Maybe he really is confused and he just needs a little time to sort out what's going on. You could be married with a baby in two years."

"Okay a baby is pushing it," Jessica laughed.

"Yeah, I cant picture you pregnant," Cory made a face.

"Jerk," Jessica elbowed her in the side. "Enough about me, what were you coming by for? You looked happy until you saw me."

Cory explained everything that had happened with Owen and Sarah and Jessica just stared, looking apprehensive.

"I know what you're thinking and I cant blame you," Cory put her hands up. "I just think it's worth a shot. They seem legit, a lot more so than the other crazies who've come out of the woodwork."

"I just don't want you and Mark to put all your eggs in this basket and then get your hearts broken all over again," Jessica insisted.

"I know," Cory nodded. "I get it i just..I have a good feeling about this."

"Well then I hope you're right," Jessica squeezed her sister.

Cory looked over at the clock and sighed. She was supposed to be having lunch with her accountant in 20 minutes.

"Listen, I should probably get going, I just wanted to stop by and tell you about Owen and Sarah."

"Is Stephen-"

"Running background checks?" Cory smirked. "Done and done. Some people have too much money for their own good. I'll call you tonight. We'll go to dinner, just the girls."

"Sounds like a good time," Jessica smiled. "Bye sis."

"Bye," Cory gave Jessica a quick hug before walking out of the room. She was barely three feet from the door when she saw a familiar face.

Hunter.

* * *

Hunter ran a hand through his hair, willing the elevator to come sometime in the next 10 minutes. It was running like molasses and he was starving.

"Fancy meeting you here."

He turned, seeing Cory walking toward him. He smiled, leaning against the wall, "What are you doing here?"

"I was just talking to Jessie," she nodded down the hall.

"Ah," he put his hands in his pocket, instantly feeling uncomfortable. He assumed Jessica had told her about their talk. She claimed that she was okay but Hunter could tell that she was hurt.

"Listen, I didn't mean to upset her I just.."

"It's okay Hunter," Cory stopped him. "I know this is weird for you too. I'm just..surprised. I still remember us all going to Boston to scare of Jessica's boyfriend for you."

"That was an interesting trip," Hunter laughed.

"Are you sure nothing happened?" Cory asked, looking concerned. "Jessica told me you said there's no one else but..Is that true?"

Hunter had a brief flashback to the morning he woke up in bed with Cory. For a split second, he thought about telling her the truth but how was he supposed to tell one of his closest friends that he'd broken her sister's heart because he thought he was in love with her?

"It's true," he shrugged. "Things just...changed. There's no one else."

* * *

"Mel Davies desk."

"Mel," Yvonne said cheerfully. "It's Yvonne."

"Vonnie Masters," Mel said pleasantly. "How long has it been since I've had the pleasure?"

"Entirely too long," Yvonne smiled, rolling her eyes at Owen who smirked at her.

"How've you been?" Mel asked.

"I'm just fine," Yvonne smiled. "Listen…I need a tiny little favor honey."

"Anything for you Vonnie," Mel said.

Yvonne rolled her eyes again, "I need to take a look at some boxes that were taken from a crime scene."

"And _why_ exactly do you need these boxes?" Mel questioned.

"Dr. Wagner wants to take a look at them, something about looking for hair or DNA or something."

"You know I cant just log those out on a whim," he warned.

"I'll make it worth your while," Yvonne said. "I could have a plate of brownies on your desk in the morning."

"Delivered personally?" Mel laughed.

"By yours truly," Yvonne agreed.

"Alright, you can take a look but I cant let you take them."

"You're a doll," Yvonne smiled.

"Just let me find the log book..What's the name?" Mel asked.

_Clumsy bastard_, Yvonne mouthed as she heard Mel bumping around, probably breaking something. "The name is Michael Farisse. F-A-R-I-S-S-E."

"Michael Allen Farisse?" Mel asked.

"That's the one."

"Well Vonnie, it says here that Dr. Grier has those boxes."

"Excuse me?"

Owen looked up from the papers he was going through and looked at her questioningly. Sarah walked into the room with three cups of coffee and sat across from Yvonne at the desk mouthing, _What's going on?_

"Yeah, it says here Dr. Grier has 'em…You know those aren't allowed to leave the lab Vonnie. Is something wrong?"

"Uh…you know what honey…I was looking at the wrong sheet," Yvonne lied. "This is an old request, I must have grabbed the wrong folder…Let me call you back in a few minutes when I find the right one."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Mel said.

"Me too," she hung up quickly.

"What's wrong?" Owen asked.

"Well," Yvonne sighed. "Dr. Grier has the boxes."

* * *

"Corinne," Andrew Mann stood up, smiling when his secretary led Cory into his office. "So good to see you."

"You too Andrew," Cory walked around the desk and giving him a hug. She'd always thought of Andrew as an uncle. He'd been friends with her grandfather Stephen since college and he'd been her family's accountant for ages. He was always present at family parties, Christmas dinners, and all of Stephen and Jeannette's charity functions.

"Thank you again for the Giants tickets," Andrew smiled, sitting in his high backed leather chair. "Virginia and I had a fantastic time."

She had sent him luxury suite tickets for a New York Giants game for his birthday recently.

"Not a problem," Cory waved it off. "How is Virginia?"

"She's great," Andrew smiled at the mention of his wife. "She says hello."

Andrew pulled a file out of a drawer and sighed, "So, as much as I'd like to sit her and catch up for the next hour, I do have an appointment in about 40 minutes. I just wanted to get you in to discuss a few things."

"Okay," Cory placed her purse in the chair next to her, crossing her legs. "What's going on?"

"Well…I don't want you to be alarmed dear," Andrew put his hands up. "You are in a fantastic financial standing. Between what your parents and grandparents have put aside for you and the money you've made on your own, you could retire right now and live a more comfortable life than most, even with your questionable shopping habits."

Cory laughed, "Sometimes I just cant help it Andrew. I love shoes."

"And that's just fine. My only concern is that there's been something you've been spending-"

"If this has anything to do with Taylor's medical bills, I _know _they're expensive but her doctor has been doing _amazing _things for her and she hopefully wont have to be there too much longer."

"That's not the problem at all," Andrew shook his head. "Taylor's bills are paid in full, on time, without incident."

"Okay…" Cory waited for the bad news.

"My concern is your credit cards Corinne," Andrew sighed.

"My credit cards?" Cory frowned. "I don't really use them that often."

"That's what I thought," Andrew said. "Your payments have always been taken directly out of your bank account and they're usually pretty minimal. The statements come here but they're usually shredded without a second glance. I was alerted yesterday though that your American Express card is nearly maxed out."

"What?" Cory stared. "How?"

"I'm working on figuring that out," Andrew explained. "I haven't been able to pull up your statements on line for some reason so I'm waiting for a copy to be mailed to me. There's also a MasterCard that's nearly maxed as well. Same situation, I'm waiting for a snail mail copy of the statement."

"Andrew I don't use those cards that often."

"Well then maybe you've made some big purchases?"

"I-I don't know," Cory shook her head. "I've been doing some shopping lately but…I don't think I've gotten anything that would max out my credit cards."

"Well, we'll get it figured out dear," Andrew said. "As soon as I get those statements, we'll know what's what and take it from there. Until then, just use your debit card for now, no credit card purchases, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. "And you'll let me know as soon as you get the statements."

"Absolutely," he agreed. "And I'll send copies to you wherever you are if need be."

"Thank you," Cory forced a smile. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Of course," Andrew nodded.

"If for any reason you cant get a hold of me, can you make sure you get those copies to my boyfriend?"

"I didn't know you were seeing anybody," he smiled. "Good for you."

"Thank you," she said, writing down John's contact information. "He's pretty great."

"He must be," Andrew smiled. "But I have to ask..why wouldn't I be able to get in touch with you? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Cory nodded, although she couldn't shake a weird feeling. "I just..it's just a precaution."

"Whatever you say," Andrew shrugged. "But you know you can tell me if something's going on."

"I know Andrew, thank you," Cory smiled. "I better get going so you can get to your appointment. Give Virginia my love."  
"I will," Andrew gave her a quick hug. "Let me walk you out."

"No that's okay," Cory smiled. "I know the way."

Cory walked out of his office, frowning. She picked up her phone and considered calling John but after a few seconds, she put it back into her purse. There was no point in alarming him when she didn't know anything yet. There was someone else she would have to talk to though. There was only one person who had unlimited access to her credit cards.

Jacinda.

* * *

"Why the hell would Grier take the boxes?" Owen paced back and forth.

"You know Owen you really should lay off the caffeine," Sarah said. "You're entirely too high strung for someone so young."

Owen put down his cup of coffee, ignoring Sarah's quip, "Where is he?"

"Out of town," Yvonne said. "I called his secretary, Magda, he's been gone for a week and he's supposed to be out for two more."

"He's been on me to leave this case alone since it came in and he's taking out the evidence?" Owen shook his head. "That makes no sense."

"There must be something interesting in there," Sarah said.

"Well how do we know that?" Yvonne asked.

Owen smiled, "I think I have a way we can find out."

* * *

_9:00 P.M._

"So she didn't answer her phone?" Jessica asked. Cory had just recounted her meeting with Andrew and her suspicion about Jacinda.

"_Nope_," Cory shook her head, taking a sip from her beer. "I called her like ten times and got nothing."

"If she's been stealing money from you…" Jessica shook her head, knowing she didn't need to finish her sentence. Anyone who knew her knew the pain she would inflict on someone who hurt her little sister.

"Down girl," Cory patted her sister's hand. "Let's not plan her demise just yet. She is the mother of our good friend's baby. And we don't know anything yet."

"Holy shit!"

Jessica frowned when she heard someone yelling near the door. She looked to see what the commotion was about and saw the young man who'd stopped she and Cory and asked for autographs when they entered the restaurant. He was waiting excitedly at the door with a friend.

The door opened and Jessica immediately saw what the kid was so excited about. Mark and Hunter strolled into the restaurant, laughing about something.

"You think he got that excited for us?" Cory smirked as the young man practically bounced up and down as Mark and Hunter signed autographs and allowed his friend to take pictures.

"Did you know they were coming?" Jessica asked, immediately feeling self conscious. When she and Cory had decided to go out for drinks, she just threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair was thrown up into a ponytail, she didn't have a drop of makeup on.

"No," Cory answered. "But this place has cheap beers so I'm not surprised Mark knows about it."

Jessica ran a hand over her hair and Cory frowned, "Jess, relax. You look beautiful."

"I know Hunter said he's not interested so I shouldn't care but..it cant help my chances when I look like a bum."

"Bums wish they could be so pretty," Cory insisted. "Among other things…Now calm down."

Cory held up her hand, waving until she got Mark's attention.

Mark nudged Hunter and pointed at their table. Jessica could swear that she saw an apprehensive look cross Hunter's face before he started following Mark over.

"Ladies," Mark smiled as he reached the table, patting the top of Cory's head. "How are we this evening?"

"Good," Cory smiled.

"Mind if we join you?" Mark asked, pulling out the chair across from Cory, next to Jessica.

"Not at all," Jessica said, feeling a mix of relief and disappointment when Hunter sat next to Cory.

"What are we having?" Hunter asked.

"I got nachos and she got chicken fajitas," Jessica explained. "The waitress should be back any minute if you guys want food."

"I'm more concerned with getting a beer at the moment," Mark explained.

"See, I told you that's why he came here," Cory laughed.

"I know you want one," Mark pointed at Hunter. "Ladies?"

"I'm good," Jessica waved.

Cory downed the last of her beer and then smiled at Mark.

Mark laughed, shaking his head and walking toward the bar.

"So..what were you two talking about before we got here?" Hunter asked.

Jessica was about to answer but then Cory shook her head, "Nothing."

* * *

"Here we are," Owen opened the car door and Sarah got out, hugging her coat around her.

"This looks just like my parents' old house," Sarah said as they walked up the drive.

"Where do they live now?" he asked.

"Not too far from here actually," she answered. "How are we supposed to get in here?"

"Good question," Owen rubbed his hands together. "Ever break a window?"

"Tell me Owen…did you spend any time in juvenile centers as an adolescent?" Sarah asked.

He smirked, "How'd you know?"

"I refuse to break a window," Sarah said as they walked along the side of the house.

"Why?"

"Because it's _illegal_," she whispered in a harsh tone.

"Sarah, the house is all locked up." Owen reminded her. "Any way we get in is gonna be illegal."

"Yeah but breaking a window is so _obviously_ illegal," Sarah made a face.

"Suck it up Dollface," he said, .

"Excuse me?" she asked. Before he could answer her, she tripped.

"Son of a bitch!"

Owen turned when he heard Sarah yell. He tried to keep himself from laughing as she stood, brushing snow off of her legs. He had to admit Yvonne was right, she was cute.

"This is so not funny," she pointed, pulling her knit cap down further on her head to cover her ears.

"Yes it is," he laughed, turning around. "You see any way to get in?"

"Forgive me, I wasn't looking when I was falling on my face," she grumbled as they walked.

"I still say we break a window," Owen said as they rounded the back of the house.

"You know," Sarah stopped walking. "If this really _is_ like my parent's old house…there should be a door to the basement _riiiight_…"

Owen watched as Sarah knelt on the ground, pushing snow and leaves out of her way with her gloved hands.

She smiled, finding a handle, "Here."

"What the hell did you use this door for?" he asked, as they both pulled at the handle. It was partially frozen so they had to yank at it for a while.

"I snuck out a lot," she answered.

Finally they got it open. Owen smirked, "And I thought you were a good girl."

They looked down into the basement.

"Alright," Owen said. "I'll go down first and I'll catch you."

"With all do respect, I don't need you to catch me," Sarah argued.

"Alright," Owen shrugged. "Suit yourself."

* * *

Jessica laughed as Mark frowned after taking another shot. She was having a great night. It was a little awkward at first but now she, Mark, Hunter, and Cory were having a great time. And the bartender was a huge WWE fan so the free drinks were flowing.

"I cant believe they don't have sugar free red bull," Cory frowned as she came back to the table with a tray full of Jager bombs.

"Why are you so concerned about sugar free red bull?" Hunter laughed. She'd been talking about it for the last hour.

'I'm not,' she said. "My hips are."

"There's nothing wrong with your hips," Jessica distributed the shots to everyone.

"She's right," Hunter agreed. "You're crazy."

"Well me and my hips thank you," Cory smirked. "I left the tequila shots back at the bar. Who wants to help?"

Jessica considered helping but realized that if she got up, she might fall right back into her seat so she shook her head. Mark raised his glass but didn't move.

"Guess you're the winner," Cory smiled, grabbing Hunter's hand. He smiled, following her to the bar.

"I don't remember telling her to get tequila shots," Mark shook his head. "She's trying to get us all drunk."

"It's working," Jessica laughed. "Let's do all of these before they get back."

Mark agreed and they each took two of the shots, downing them quickly. Jessica turned her head, trying to shake off the taste. When she turned toward the bar, she saw Hunter and Cory laughing and talking with the bartender. She had a hand on his shoulder and they were standing very close together. For a second, Jessica felt a pang of jealousy. They were so comfortable around each other, the way Jessica and Hunter used to be. They way he was smiling at her was a lot like the way he used to smile at her. What if Cory was…

She shook her head, ridding herself of those thoughts. There was no way that Cory was the person coming between her and Hunter. Those two had never thought of each other in that way and they never would.

* * *

"How's the ankle, Dollface?" Owen asked, clicking on the flashlight.

"Shut up," Sarah said, limping. She'd rolled her ankle jumping down into the basement.

"Yes ma'am," he laughed.

"There's tons of boxes down here," Sarah said. "How are we supposed to know which ones are from Michael's apartment?"

"I'm assuming they're these ones here marked M Farisse.," Owen said, shining the light on two boxes in the corner.

"Shut up," she said, limping over.

She knelt next to one of the boxes and pulled a box cutter out of her pocket.

"Do I want to know why you own a box cutter?" he asked.

"I just moved," she rolled her eyes at him. When she was done opening one box she handed it to him so that he could open the other.

"What are we looking for?" he asked.

"Anything," she said, pulling out a large sketch book.

"Whoa," Owen pulled out a purple lace bra. "Like this?"

"Uh…" Sarah stared, not knowing what to say. "Keep looking."

Sarah watched as Owen pulled out a series of items: Red, black, pink, gold, and clear nail polish, three different kinds of perfume, another bra.

"You never mentioned that Michael was a uh.." Owen was obviously searching for a PC thing to say.

"Those cant be his," Sarah shook her head.

"You think he had a girlfriend?"

"No," Sarah shook her head.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Trust me," she looked up at him. "I know."

"Ah," he nodded. "You're _sure_ they're not-"

"Owen, Michael was gay but he wasn't a queen," Sarah said, pulling out another sketch book.

She looked into the box once the sketch books were gone and saw Mark Callaway's face looking up at her from the cover of a WWE magazine.

"What the hell?" she frowned, picking up the magazine and finding ten more under it.

"Owen look at these," she said, spreading them out. There were 10 magazines in total and the covers were all of Mark or Dawn Marie. In one, the two were together and there was a jagged pen line across their faces. In another, the area around Dawn Marie's heart was cut out.

"Holy shit," he said, kneeling beside her.

"These cant have been Michael's," Sarah shook her head. "He would never do something like this.

"Then whose could they be?" Owen asked.

"Doesn't this seem kind of odd to you Owen?" Sarah asked, going through the rest of the box. "None of the people in that building ever saw Michael. Those brown hairs were found all over and we just found items that cant belong to him..Someone else had to be living there."

"Why would he let someone live in his apartment if he wasn't there?" Owen asked.

"Maybe he didn't know," Sarah said. This wasn't making any sense. Owen started packing some of the items back into his box. Sarah stopped when she saw a folded picture. She picked it up, staring at it. Michael smiled out at her, standing on a beach somewhere. He had his arm around a woman he didn't recognize. She had long blonde hair, all swept over one shoulder. She was about 5'6" and thin, wearing a bright purple bikini.

"What's that?" Owen asked.

"Nothing," she shook her head, putting the picture in her pocket.

"Let's take these back to the lab."

She nodded softly as she stood up, keeping her weight off of her ankle, "Okay."

"Hey Owen," she said.

"Yeah?"

"I think we should talk to Michael's neighbors."

* * *

Adelle could hear the sound of her own heels clicking as she walked toward the door to Cory's penthouse. She was dropping off a few pairs of shoes that she couldn't wear. They were Christian Dior and Adelle knew Cory would love them. She'd only worn each pair once before deciding she couldn't handle them. She stopped a few feet away from Cory's door when she noticed a small bag in front of the door. It was Tiffany blue and tied with a white bow. Unable to resist, Adelle put down the bag of shoes and picked up the small gift bag untying the bow. She pulled out the white tissue paper, dropping it on the floor and then removed the gift. She frowned, seeing the back of it and realizing it was a picture frame. She turned the frame over and dropped it the second she saw the picture. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest . She knelt down to pick it up, hands trembling. Her eyes stung at the sight of herself at 16. She was in her cheerleading uniform, leaning against a chain link fence with Frank Everett. The glass was cracked over their faces but she could still see that she was beaming from ear to ear. Frank looked as handsome as ever, his royal blue eyes looking down at her. His jaw was strong and his face was lit with a brilliant smile. He had always been as handsome as he was crazy. Unfortunately she realized that a little too late. Who would have done this? Who could have gotten into Cory's building and left this at her door? Her stomach lurched at the thought of someone trying to tell Cory about her father. She took a few deep breaths, afraid she might actually vomit. She heard the lock turning inside the apartment and she quickly shoved the picture back into the bag, balling up the tissue paper and putting it inside. She stood up as quickly as she could, brushing off her skirt and straightening it out just as the door opened.

John stared at her, standing barefoot in sweats with a towel around his neck.

"Mrs. Rutledge?"

Adelle composed herself, pasting on her patented smile, "John, what are you doing here?"

"Just finished taking a shower," John shrugged. "Cory's out with Jessica. I was just about to leave to go meet them. Were you..bringing her something?"

"Oh, yes," she remembered the shoes. She picked up the bag, handing it to him, "I brought her these shoes. Just tell her to let me know if she doesn't like them."

"Yeah, no problem," John agreed. He leaned against the doorjamb, looking concerned, "Is everything okay?"

"Of course," Adelle smiled. "I've just had a…a slightly difficult day is all. I'm tired. I should really be going."

"Okay," John shrugged. "I'll make sure Cory gets these."

Adelle turned to leave but she looked over her shoulder, letting her smile fall, "John…do me a favor."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Keep my daughter safe," Adelle requested. "Protect her, no matter what."

"Cory means the world to me Adelle. You don't have to remind me to protect her," John assured her. "Is something going on?"

"No," she shook her head. "I just..I'm glad she has you to look after her."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22...**

Taylor looked up when the door to her room opened and Paula walked in, carrying a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers.

"You don't have to bring me something every time you come here, you know," Taylor smirked.

"I know," Paula shrugged. "But this place always looks so _sterile_."

"Yeah," Taylor smirked. "They stopped letting the crazies draw pictures on the walls _years _ago. It's a _real _shame."

"You know what I mean," Paula laughed, tossing the flowers onto her bed. "I just want to make it feel homey."

"I appreciate it," Taylor hugged her friend tightly.

"You look great," Paula smiled.

"Everybody tells me that," Taylor smiled shyly. "I must not look _sane _though, they still haven't let me out of here."

"They will Taylor," Paula insisted, taking Taylor's hand. "_Soon_."

"I hope so," Taylor sighed. "But..busting out of this place isn't what I asked you to come here to talk about."

"Okay then, what's up?" Paula asked.

"Well…" Taylor put her hands on the table to keep from wringing them. "There's something I've decided I want to do and I want to know what you think."

"If you're thinking of coloring your hair I definitely say no," Paula teased.

"I want to find my sisters," Taylor blurted.

She smiled hopefully, trying to gauge Paula's reaction. She was really hoping for something positive.

"Wow," Paula looked surprised. "I.._wow_…Where did this come from?"

"We've been talking a lot in group about family and how important it is and..I don't know. I'm not expecting much. I'm not even saying I'm gonna introduce myself or anything but..I want to know who they are, you know?"

"That's understandable," Paula said. "I can see why you would want that but…are you sure it's a good idea?"

"What do you think?" Taylor asked.

"I just wonder if that's what you really need right now," Paula said. "You're so close to getting out of here and getting back to normal life. Your focus needs to be on staying happy and healthy."

"I know that and I will," Taylor insisted. "It's not gonna become an obsession or anything."

"You can do whatever you want Taylor," Paula smiled warmly. "I just want you to be careful."

* * *

Dawn groaned, her head lolling back and forth. She tried to open her eyes but her eyelids felt like they were glued shut. She could hear a faint noise in the room but she couldn't tell what it was. Then she felt a strange feeling. It almost felt like her legs were moving. She finally managed to get her eyes open and to her surprise, she saw Stephen standing near the foot of her bed. He was holding her ankle and bending her knee.

"What..what are you doing?" she asked. She could barely feel his hands on her. She'd been feeling numb spots all over lately for some time.

"Exercising your legs," he explained, putting her right leg down and picking up her left.

"What?" she tried to focus on him but her vision was still blurry.

"You haven't been able to move around in a while," he explained. "You need to move your legs."

"Why?" she asked. "Why are..you doing this?"

"Because," Stephen said. "I want you to be able to use your legs when you need them."

"What does..that..mean?" she asked, a mix of hope and fear breaking through the haze in her head.

"It means I cant take you out of here," Stephen said. "But I can help you get stronger…and if..in the future…if you needed your legs..you'd be able to function somewhat properly."

"Like if..I need to run?" Dawn cringed as her right knee bent. Stephen must have seen how much it hurt because he stopped.

"Hypothetically," Stephen said. "Yes."

* * *

Cory pushed her sunglasses up on her nose, leaning against the wall. She and Amy were seated in a booth having breakfast and she was nursing a bit of a hangover.

"Can you believe she talked to me like that?" Amy asked, sprinkling pepper over her eggs.

Amy had just informed Cory of her airport run in with Lianna. The similarities between Matt and Lianna and Cory and John were incredibly amusing to Cory but she knew that wasn't what her friend wanted to hear.

Cory shrugged, "I cant totally blame her Am. What you did to Matt was pretty fucked up."

"I wasn't trying to hurt him," Amy insisted.

"And you and I both know that," Cory reminded her. "But to someone on the outside looking in, you have to understand how it seems. Just calm down and be nice. You get more flies with honey.."

"Be nice for what?" Amy asked. "I don't care if she likes me. This is none of her business."

"It is her business when Matt is one of her best friends and Jeff is her brother in law."

"What does Jeff have to do with it?"

Cory raised a brow at her. She knew better than most how Amy had felt about Jeff. She wasn't around when all the drama happened but she and Amy were talking almost every day and Matt and Jeff had been a constant topic of conversation.

"You can't be serious with that question," Cory smirked.

"You think I still want Jeff?"

"I sincerely hope not, considering his wife is one of my closest friends," Cory admitted. "But I can't say it's something I would consider totally out of the realm of possibility."

"I'm over that," Amy waved her off. "I just want everything to go back to the way it was."

"Well, that's not gonna happen," Cory shrugged. "I hate to break this to you but..you're gonna have to start fresh here kid. That's all you can do."

"And you think that's gonna fix everything?" Amy gave her an incredulous look.

"Not everything," Cory shook her head. "But I think it'll fix some things."

Amy rolled her eyes and pushed her food around on her plate.

Cory downed some of her orange juice, glad her sunglasses were there to hide the look on her face. She had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

"Hi Mrs. Greenburg," Owen smiled when the older woman opened the door.

"Hello," she gave him a wide smile, shaking his hand. "It's so good to see you again Mr…Mr…"

"Wagner," Owen smiled.

"And who might you be?" she turned to Sarah.

"This is my.."

"Friend," Sarah cut him off. "My name is Sarah. It's very nice to meet you ma'am."

"Nice to meet you too dear," Mrs. Greenburg smiled, shaking Sarah's hand. "You're a very pretty girl."

"Thank you," Sarah blushed a little.

"You know…I was just thinking about you the other day Mr. Wagner," Mrs. Greenburg said, ushering them in.

"Really?" Owen asked.

"Yes sir," she nodded. "I have things to tell you. About that apartment across the hall."

* * *

"Thanks for meeting me on short notice," Chris smiled weakly as Viveca slid into the booth across from him.

"Sure," she smiled, picking up the cup of hot chocolate she'd called ahead and asked him to order for her. She and Chris were good friends but it wasn't often that he called her and asked her to meet him right away, so when he did, she'd rushed right over. She was glad she did. She could tell just by looking at him that something was wearing on him. He looked exhausted.

"Okay..what's going on?" she asked.

"I need to tell you something," Chris took a sip from his own cup. "But you cant tell anyone else. Not yet."

"Are you pregnant?" Viveca smirked.

"V, I'm really serious about this," Chris insisted. "It's important."

"Okay, I'm sorry," she wrapped her hands around her cup to warm them. "What is it?"

"It's about Taylor," Chris began to explain.

"Okay," she grew concerned.

"The night that I found her, I found something in her father's papers."

"What?"

"Birth certificates. Taylor's and two others," he answered. "She has two sisters."

"Wow," Viveca said. "I didn't know that. She never mentioned them to me."

"She's never met them. She doesn't even know their names," Chris explained. "Her father told her they existed but that was all she knew."

"But you know who they are, right?" she asked. "Since you found their birth certificates?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "And that's the problem. Paula called me earlier. She saw Taylor today and apparently, Taylor wants to find them."

"Okay so it should be pretty damn easy now," Viveca shrugged. "You have their names and their birthdates. Just give them to her."

"I don't know if I can," Chris admitted. "It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

Chris pulled some papers out of his pocket, unfolded them and slid them across the table to her. Viveca stared downed at photo copies of the birth certificates. Her eyes grew wide when she read the names.

"No way," Viveca shook her head. "How is that possible?"

Over the next few minutes, Chris explained everything he and Paula had found out. Viveca just stared, shaking her head. How could Cory, Jessica, and Taylor make it so long without knowing about each other.

Chris ran a hand over his hair, "I have no idea what to tell her. And I'm flying out to see her tomorrow."

"You have to tell her the truth," Viveca insisted. "There's no other option. We cant lie to her, not after everything she's been through."

He sighed, looking away.

"Chris, she's doing so much better," she reminded him. "She's strong. She can handle it. And it's better that it come from you than from anywhere else."

"You're probably right I just…I don't want to do anything to screw up all the progress she's made."

"Chris," Viveca took his hand in hers. "Taylor is stronger than you think. Just give her a chance."

* * *

"This is who I wanted you to meet…My son Martin," Mrs. Greenburg introduced. "Martin say hello."

"Hello," Martin smiled, his voice loud, as he shook Sarah's hand and then Owen's.

"Martin has a bit of a problem," Mrs. Greenburg explained.

"A problem?" Owen asked, looking over as Martin sat down on the couch and started nervously cracking his knuckles and looking around the room, almost like a child would sitting outside of the principal's office.

"When he was younger, about 5 or 6, he fell off a jungle gym and cracked his head on the ground," Mrs. Greenburg explained. "The doctors said he wasn't too damaged but he's developed real slow over the years…He's 22 now but he doesn't act like it…He's a good boy though. A good, respectful boy."

"It's very nice to meet you Martin," Sarah smiled, trying to ignore the way his mother talked about him as if he wasn't in the room.

"You too," he smiled shyly.

"What is it that you want Martin to tell us?" Owen asked.

"Well I remember I told you I'd only seen one person go in that apartment," Mrs. Greenburg began. "A girl. One time…well Martin, he used to sit outside a lot and he says he saw someone going in and out of there all the time."

"Really?" Sarah perked up. She turned to the young man, "Martin…exactly what did you see?"

Owen could see Sarah click the button on the tape recorder in her pocket. He was glad she'd been nice enough to leave it in her pocket.

"Well," Martin sighed nervously. "There was a girl..A-a lady..she would go in there a lot. I think she lived there. She would come out in the morning' and she would go back in at night."

"What did she look like?" Owen asked.

"She was pretty," Martin smiled. "But I didn't stare at her..My mom says its not nice to stare so I made sure I didn't."

"That's good." Owen smiled. "What color hair did she have?"

"Blonde," Martin said. He pointed at Sarah's head, "Like that."

"Were her eyes blue like mine too?" Sarah asked.

"No," Martin shook his head. "They were like brown and green all at the same time."

"Hazel," his mother explained.

"Yeah," Martin nodded.

"Did you ever say anything to her?" Sarah asked.

"I said hi sometimes," Martin said. "But then she stopped coming around."

"All of a sudden?" Owen asked.

"Yeah," Martin nodded. "There was nobody going there for a while and then a different lady started coming."

"A different one?" Owen perked up this time. "What did this lady look like?"

"She was pretty. Her hair was brown and it was shorter," Martin said.

"Did you ever talk to her?" Sarah asked.

"One time," Martin nodded. "I was running down the hall..I know it was bad, my mom says not to run down the hall, but I was running down the hall 'cause I didn't wanna be late for dinner and I accid-accidentally ran into her..and she was mad. I said I was sorry but she was still mad. She hit me..right here on my arm. Then she called me a bad name."

"I'm sorry she did that to you Martin," Sarah took his hand. "She didn't have the right to do that."

"Thank you," Martin smiled. "She wasn't nice. She stole and you're not supposed to steal."

"She stole?" Sarah asked. "What did she steal?"

"She took the blond lady's shoes," Martin giggled.

"What?" Sarah stared at him, confused.

"The blond wore the same shoes all the time. And the first time I saw the brown haired lady, she was wearing them. She stole her shoes."

* * *

_Dawn awoke to the muffled sound of piano music. She sat up slowly, shocked to find that her arm was not cuffed as it normally was. She sat up slowly, expecting to feel the usual numb, nauseous feeling but she felt surprisingly normal. She got up, slowly walking to the door, the music growing louder. Before she could touch the doorknob, the door opened slowly, revealing an unexpected scene. It was a funeral. Immediately she realized it was hers. The casket at the front of the room was closed but she didn't need to see inside it. She just knew. She walked slowly down the aisle, seeing familiar faces left and right. She saw Jeff and Viveca huddled together. Viveca was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Jeff looked lost. She saw Jessica and Hunter both looking incredibly tired and sad. Hunter had bags under his eyes and Jessica's face was red and puffy. When she got to the front row, she felt her heart skip a beat. Cory was in the front row, sobbing. Her hands were covering most of her face. Her blue eyes stood out from deep, dark circles. John was seated beside her, his elbows on his knees, his eyes eyes and nose were rubbed red. She heard someone clearing their throat and she turned, finding herself only inches away from Mark. He looked exhausted. His eyes were red, tears threatening to flow at any second. His jaw was clenched tightly the way it always was when he got upset._

_"Mark," she whispered softly. "I'm right here."_

_He sat down beside Cory, placing a hand on her shoulder, rubbing his eyes with the other._

_"Honey, I'm right here," she knelt in front of him. "Mark, look at me."_

_He looked up, his eyes falling on the coffin. A tear rolled slowly over his cheek._

_"Cory," she touched her best friend's hand. "I'm here. I'm not dead."_

_"I cant do this," Cory shook her head, choking back a sob. "I _cant_."_

_"Yes you can baby," John slowly rubbed her back. "It's okay."_

_"It's _not _okay," Cory shook her head. "None of us are _okay_, you know that."_

_"I'm right here!" Dawn yelled waving in front of their faces. "God _damn _it I'm _right here_!"_

_She felt herself beginning to shake with frustration and she stood up, waving her arms, "I'm right here. _Please_, you have to see me."_

_Tears filled her own eyes as her friends and family looked right through her. They were all looking at the stupid coffin._

_"That's not _me_," she cried. "I'm alive. I'm not _dead_!"_

_She dropped to her knees, sobs wracking her body. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and blinking through her tears, trying to see who it was. Once her vision was clear, she reeled._

_"Aww, poor Dawn," Savannah smiled at her. "They've all given up on you."_

Dawn woke with a start, gasping for air. The pillow beside her was wet. She'd been crying in her sleep. She struggled to catch her breath, trying not to start crying again. Savannah's words at the end of her dream rung in Dawn's ears. She couldn't help but think that Savannah was right. All this time, the person who took her, who tormented her had been right under her friend's noses. If they hadn't found her yet, they weren't likely to find her at all.

* * *

"So today I'd like to discuss the time immediately following your father's death," Dr. Tanner sat back in his chair, setting his pen down on his notebook. Taylor always appreciated that he didn't spend all of his time with her writing notes. She was sure he had a tape recorder somewhere but it was just nice that he seemed to be paying attention.

"You've mentioned before that it's not totally clear but I'd like to know what memories are clear for you."

"Well," Taylor sat Indian style on the loveseat across from him. "My mother didn't want me going to any of my father's relatives so she called her aunt Marie. She lived about an hour away. She agreed to come get me."

"Had you met her before that?"

"A couple times," Taylor shrugged. "She always seemed nice enough. She came right away and took me straight back to her house. Our house was a crime scene so I couldn't go in and get any of my things. I didn't even have any clothes. Aunt Marie was pretty thin and petite so I could fit her clothes. I looked like an extra in a 70's movie but..at least I had clothes I guess."

"What was it like there?

Taylor shrugged, looking down at her hands, "It was what it was, you know? I missed my mom. I just wanted it all to be over. I wanted to go back home."

"Did your aunt try to help you cope?"

"In her own way, Taylor nodded. "She just kept telling me over and over that there was no jury in the world that would convict my mother of killing my father. She would go on about what a horrible man he was and once people knew, they would feel bad for my mom. No one would blame her...And at first it made me feel a little better but then I started to wonder...if she knew how bad my dad was..why didn't she help us? She had this big house an hour away and she was living by herself...Why didn't she just tell mom we could pack up our stuff and come live with her. It didn't make sense to me."

"I can understand how that would be confusing," Dr. Tanner nodded.

"I just tried to get through it," Taylor shrugged again. "I didn't get really close to her because I didn't trust someone who would just stand by like she did."

"Did you act out at all?" he asked.

"Not that I remember," she shook her head. "I just closed myself off. I didn't try to make any friends. I didn't go outside and play. All I could think about was my mom and how I needed her to get out of jail."

"Do you remember your aunt taking you to visit your mother?" Dr. Tanner asked.

"Not really," Taylor shook her head. "Going to see my mom in lockup, court, things like that are fuzzy. I remember bits and pieces here and there but..nothing really solid."

Dr. Tanner nodded his head, "Well...we'll find a way to bring those things out."

Taylor tried to smile, hoping she didn't look too apprehensive.

"In order to move on, there are some things that you need to acknowledge," he reminded her.

"I know," she laughed. He'd obviously seen through her smile. "Sometimes the idea of it is just..I'm not always excited about remembering everything, you know?"

"I know," he nodded. "I do believe I have some news that you will find exciting though."

Taylor raised a brow, "What?"

"I feel that you have benefited greatly from our therapy sessions. Weaning you off of the medication has worked wonderfully. You look healthy, you're smiling, laughing. You're not the girl I met when I first came here."

"Thank you," she smiled, wondering where this was going.

"I'm recommending your release," he explained. "I honestly believe that you're no longer a danger to yourself and that you would benefit from being back in the real world with your friends. As long as you can commit to a weekly session with me."

Taylor stared, unsure of what to say. She contemplated pinching herself but decided against it. If this was a dream, she didn't want to know it.

"You're letting me out?" she felt tears spring to her eyes. "Really?"

"Really," he nodded. "Now it's not _immediate_, there are a few other people that need to sign off on this. It'll be at least a week but...you're going to be a free woman Taylor."

Taylor felt a squeal escape her before she could stop it. She hopped off of the couch, clapping her hands together and jumping up and down. She was about to hug Dr. Tanner but she stopped herself, grabbing his hand instead and shaking it vigorously, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he chuckled. "One of the counselors will be in to see you tomorrow to start making arrangements for where you'll be living, working, all of that good stuff. I think this is as good an excuse as any to end our session early. Why don't you go make a few phone calls?"

"I will," Taylor beamed. "And thank you again. For everything."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Okay peeps, I told you I'd try for more regular updates and I'm finally following through on that. Hope you like the chapter. It gets a little racy at one point so if you don't like detailed depictions of 'intimate moments', you may need to skip ahead. Hugs to you all and please don't forget to Review. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 23...**

"Do all babies cry like this?" Glenn asked as Jacinda walked around the room with the baby.

"Of course," Jacinda laughed. "When my brother was a baby, I used to have to watch him sometimes and he would cry for hours on end until our parents got home."

"I didn't know you had a brother," Glenn said, surprised. "How come you never talk about him?"

* * *

Savannah stopped walking, "I uh…we had a falling out a long time ago. I don't like to talk about him much."

She had to keep herself from sighing in relief when Glenn seemingly dropped the subject.

_Get it together Savannah_, she thought to herself. _You cant fuck this up now_.

The baby screamed and kicked in Savannah's arms and she walked out of she and Glenn's bedroom and into the next room.

"Come on Shelby," she said. "Be quiet for me, please."

The baby answered in a loud wail and Savannah put her down roughly in her crib, "_SHUTUP_!"

* * *

Glenn ran into the nursery after hearing Jacinda scream. She was sitting on the floor, her hands tangled in her dark hair.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he knelt beside her. "I've never heard you yell like that before."

"I don't know what's wrong with me Glenn," she cried. "I've just been so stressed..Things aren't any easier with Cory and I just…."

"I'll talk to her sweetheart," Glenn assured her. "I'll talk to Cory and she'll lighten your load. I promise."

* * *

Cory hugged her coat closer to her as she stood on Glenn and Jacinda's doorstep. She hadn't called ahead and hoped Jacinda was around. After a minute or two, the door opened and Glenn smiled at her, holding Shelby.

"Cory," he smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Just dropped by to go over a few things with Jacinda," Cory shrugged. "Is she here?"

"Yeah, she's in the kitchen," Glenn ushered her in, closing the door behind them.

Shelby smiled brightly and Cory reached for her, "How's my favorite girl?"

"She's been a little fussier than usual today," Glenn handed her over.

"Who was at the door honey?" Jacinda walked into the living room, stopping short when she saw Cory.

Cory smiled, waving Shelby's little hand and she could swear she saw Jacinda flinch. Her assistant hadn't answered her phone calls in days and had only responded to one email confirming her schedule for the next week. She obviously hadn't been expecting a personal visit.

"Hi," Jacinda smiled warmly, coming over and reaching for Shelby. "What are you doing here?"

"I had a couple of things to ask you about so I thought I'd stop by," Cory answered.

"You could've just emailed," Jacinda smoothed her daughter's hair.

"Yeah but I was in the neighborhood," Cory explained. "I have a signing here tomorrow, remember?"

"Of course I remember," Jacinda insisted.

"Listen, I'm gonna let you ladies discuss business," Glenn waved for Jacinda to hand the baby over. Shelby started grabbing at Glenn's hair and he laughed, taking her out of the room.

"Cory listen…" Jacinda wrung her hands, sitting down on the couch. "I'm so sorry I've been a little incommunicado lately. I've been so stressed out with the baby and…I know that I've dropped the ball a bit but..I assure you that I'll be back to work immediately. And I really appreciate you allowing me this time."

"I didn't really have much choice, did I?" Cory asked.

"I've been distant and irresponsible..I understand that," Jacinda sighed, looking as if she was blinking away tears. "My doctor says I'm going through a postpartum thing. I'm so sorry."

"I get it," Cory waved. "Life is crazy. You just had a baby. I didn't come here today to threaten your job security. As of right now, your job is safe."

Jacinda breathed a sigh of relief.

"I came here to ask you about some mysterious charges that have showed up on my American Express card," Cory sat on the love seat across from her.

"What kind of charges?" Jacinda looked the slightest bit anxious.

"Not entirely sure yet," Cory shook her head. "But I'm in the process of finding out. I was recently alerted that the card was nearly maxed out."

"I cant imagine what could have happened," Jacinda shook her head. "I never use that card for any of your expenses."

"Neither do I," Cory made eye contact with the other woman, trying to gauge her sincerity. "I don't know what could have happened."

"Well Cory," Jacinda put her elbows on her knees, "You don't always pay attention to what card you use…and there are what, 10, 15 different stores with your card number on file so those personal shoppers can just send you whatever they think you'll like. Maybe you just maxed it out and didn't realize it."

Jacinda was trying to sound sugary sweet but Cory could hear the tension in her tone. She raised a brow but decided it was in her best interest to play along.

"I guess you could be right," Cory shrugged. "My accountant should be letting me know what's going on any day now."

"Good," Jacinda smiled. "I can look through your receipts if you like, find any ones that the Amex was used for."

"That would be great," Cory smiled. "Thank you."

"Of course."

Cory got up, "I guess I should be going. Thanks for humoring me and uh…I'll see you next week, right?"

"Absolutely," Jacinda nodded. "I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of all of this."

"We will," Cory smiled. "And fortunately for me, I have access to great lawyers. Once I find out who's stealing from me…I'll make sure I get to see them thrown in jail."

Jacinda's jaw clenched and Cory shrugged.

"See ya later," Cory waved, walking out of the room and leaving Jacinda sitting on the couch.

"Heading out?" Glenn called as Cory made her way to the door.

"Yup," she nodded. "Shelby sleeping?"

"Just put her down," he nodded. "She'll be very sad when she wakes up and sees you're gone."

"She is the cutest baby I've ever seen," Cory smiled. "You and Jacinda should be very proud."

"We are," he beamed. "Listen, before you go…I just wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Jacinda's been wearing herself thin. Between the baby and all her work for you, she barely has a second to herself," Glenn explained. "I was just wondering if you could lighten up on her a bit."

Cory stared, completely confused. Jacinda had just thanked her for her leniency and now Glenn was asking her to lay off.

"Things are that bad, huh?" she asked. "I had no idea."

"She keeps to herself a lot," Glenn said. "She doesn't like to complain."

"Right," Cory nodded. "Well uh…I'll definitely take that into consideration Glenn, thanks."

"Thank you. I'll see you Monday"

Cory walked out of the house and to her car, twirling her keys on her finger. After that visit it was clearer than ever. Something was amiss with Jacinda and she was going to figure out what it was.

* * *

Savannah paced back and forth, raking her hands through her hair. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest and her palms were sweating. She rubbed her hands over her sweater, trying to take deep breaths. How dare Cory come and confront her in her house. How dare she catch her off guard like that.

_Calm down, calm down_

She breathed in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth. This could not be happening. Cory's accountant worked for Stephen Caine for Christ's sake, she didn't think he would have time or the inclination to look that closely at Cory's expenses. She was a spoiled rich kid, she figured he would chalk any excessive spending up to that. And she never, ever paid any attention to how much money she spent. Jacinda figured no one would ever figure out what she'd been doing. Once the accountant told Cory what all the extra charges were for, Savannah would be screwed. There wasn't any way to explain them away without drawing more suspicion. they would figure her out. She snatched up her phone and her coat, scrawled a quick note for Glenn, who was in his gym, saying she was making a quick trip to the store and left it on the kitchen counter. She walked out to her car, dialing Stephen's number. She didn't know exactly what she was going to do but she had to make sure Cory didn't get that information.

* * *

"Thanks for meeting me on short notice," Chris smiled weakly as Viveca slid into the booth across from him.

"Sure," she smiled, picking up the cup of hot chocolate she'd called ahead and asked him to order for her. She and Chris were good friends but it wasn't often that he called her and asked her to meet him right away. When he did, she'd rushed right over. She was glad she did. She could tell just by looking at him that something was wearing on him. He looked exhausted.

"Okay..what's going on?" she asked.

"I need to tell you something," Chris took a sip from his own cup. "But you cant tell anyone else. Not yet."

"Are you pregnant?" Viveca smirked.

"V, I'm serious about this," Chris insisted. "It's important."

"Okay, I'm sorry," she wrapped her hands around her cup to warm them. "What is it?"

"It's about Taylor," Chris began to explain. "The night that I found her…I found something in her father's papers."

"What?"

"Birth certificates. Taylor's and two others," he answered. "She has two sisters."

"Wow," Viveca said. "I didn't know that. She never mentioned them to me."

"She never really talked about them to anyone," Chris said. "Her father told her they existed but she never met them. She doesn't even know their names."

"But you do right?" she asked. "Since you found their birth certificates?"

"Yeah, I do," he sighed. "But I haven't told her…I don't know if I can."

"Why not?"

"Because…because her sister's are Cory and Jessica."

"What?" Viveca stared. "How?"

Over the next few minutes, Chris explained everything he and Paula had found out. Viveca just stared, shaking her head. How could Cory, Jessica, and Taylor make it so long without knowing about each other.

"And now she told Paula that she wants to find them," Chris ran a hand over his hair. "And I have no idea what to tell her."

"You have to tell her the truth Chris," Viveca insisted.

He sighed, looking away.

"Chris, she's doing so much better," she reminded him. "She's strong. She can handle it. And it's better that it come from you than from anywhere else."

"You're probably right I just…I don't want to do anything to screw up all the progress she's made."

"Chris," Viveca took his hand in hers. "Taylor is stronger than you think. Just give her a chance."

* * *

William frowned at the file in front of him, pushing his glasses up on his nose. Vince had about six or seven contracts he wanted William to review and he only had two days to get it done. He was getting a headache from looking at all the fine print. He was considering ordering room service and giving his eyes a much needed break.

He heard a soft knock on his door and he put the papers down on the couch, walking over and looking through the peephole. To his surprise, Jessica stood on the other side. He opened the door, smiling, "Hey."

"Hi," she said, looking a little confused. "You wear glasses?"

He smiled sheepishly, "Contacts most of the time. My eyes have been bothering me today."  
"They look nice," she smiled.

"Do you wanna come in?" he asked, stepping aside.

She walked in, hands in the pockets of her jeans. He couldn't help but take a moment to admire how well the denim hugged her curves while she wasn't looking. When she turned around he forced his eyes upwards.

"Sorry to bug you," she smiled.

"You're not bugging me," he gestured over to the stack of papers. "Believe me, there's only so much of that a man can take without reprieve."

"I just wanted to stop by and see if you'd like to go to dinner with me," she explained. "I think I've had a little too much time with my own thoughts today. I need to get out.:

"Yeah, I'd love to go," he said, surprised to find himself feeling a little nervous. He looked around the room. "Just uh..let me get changed."

"William, I really just want some deep dish pizza and beer, you don't need to bust out a suit," she laughed. "You look fine. Maybe replace the sweat pants with some jeans."

He looked down at his Harvard hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, considering her suggestion.

"You do own jeans, right?" she smirked.

"I have a few pairs," he laughed. "I'll just grab them and put my contacts in."

"William," she laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, just the jeans," he laughed. "Are you always this pushy when you ask a guy on a date?"

"This is not a date," she insisted. "If it were, you wouldn't get to see me stuff my face with delicious pizza."

* * *

Owen pulled on a pair of sweatpants, not bothering with a shirt. It was too hot in his house but he knew the second he turned the heat off he'd freeze. Joe's hair stood on end as there was a knock on his door.

"Who is it?" he yelled, walking into the kitchen and getting a beer.  
"It's me," he heard Sarah's voice.

Owen smiled, leaning against the counter, "Me who?"

"How many women come to your door?"

"I don't believe that's any of your business '_me_'," Owen laughed.

"Owen come on, it's Sarah," she said impatiently. "I know it's late but this is important."

He walked over, unlocking the door and opening it quickly. She rushed in, pacing frantically.

He opened his beer, "I thought we talked about the caffeine."

She finally looked at him and a flash of surprise went across her face as she noticed he didn't have a shirt on. Owen was amused as she searched for words but she recovered quickly as usual, "I've been thinking."

"About what exactly?" he asked.

"Savannah," she said. "I've been trying to figure out why that name sounds so damn familiar."

"Sarah, I told you this Savannah thing is-

"Owen come on, be open," Sarah said. "If someone's really determined to fuck with other people's lives and not get caught, don't you think they'd find a way around the cops? So she _allegedly_ hasn't been in the US in years…fake ID's, fake passport, hop on a plane and its back to the states without anyone knowing."

She had a point. It was a stretch, but she had a point.

"Alright…I'll have Yvonne check it out tomorrow," Owen assured her.

"Good," Sarah smiled.

He watched her as she looked around his apartment. She was wearing jeans and a red t-shirt under a black down jacket. For the first time since he'd met her, her pale blonde hair hung in waves past her shoulders, framing her face. She looked over at him, noticing him staring.

"What?" she asked, nervous.

"Nothing," he shrugged. "Just not used to seeing your hair down."

"Oh," she said, touching her hair. "I must have forgotten to put it up."

"You should forget more often," he gestured with his beer. "It looks good."

He smiled as she looked more uncomfortable. She wasn't good with compliments.

"I have to go," she said, walking toward the door. "Don't forget to tell Yvonne."

"I wont," he promised. "Night Sarah."

She gave him a quick smile, "Goodnight Owen."

* * *

Cory wiped the steam off of the bathroom mirror, looking into her own eyes. She looked tired. She had hoped the shower would refresh her but it hadn't. She still just couldn't shake the strange feeling she'd had all day. After she left Glenn and Jacinda's house, she'd called Andrew to find out of there was any way he could get the information from American Express any faster. He told her he would see if there was anything he could do but he couldn't make any promises. He'd already asked that a rush be put on the matter and he hadn't gotten anything back yet. She just kept thinking about the look on Jacinda's face before she left. Her assistant had tried her best to look unaffected but Cory knew panic when she saw it. For the last few hours, Cory had been wracking her brain, trying to think of things that she missed, signs that Jacinda wasn't on the up and up. This was one of those times when she desperately missed Dawn. Dawn always knew what to say and what to do. She could always seem to fix the problems that Cory couldn't. This would never have happened if she'd been around. She picked up her brush, running it through her wet hair. She heard a light tap on the door and watched the knob turn. John walked in wearing a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, a glass of wine in one hand and a beer in the other.

She smiled, reaching for the wine, "I'm guessing this one's for me."

"That it is," he handed it over, finishing his beer and tossing it into the wastebasket under the sink. "I thought you might need it."

"You must be a mind reader," she smiled, as he stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "I wish I could be so talented."

"You really want to know what I'm thinking?" he looked at her in the mirror, kissing her shoulder.

"I don't know," she leaned against him. "Do I?"

"I was thinking about how much I wanna see you without this," he said, untying the belt of her robe. "You are so amazing."

"You're not so bad yourself," she smiled.

"Do you know, I have not seen another woman naked since the day I met you?"

"That must be pretty boring for you, huh?" she joked.

"Not at all," he turned her around, pulling her against him. "I love it."

She put her wine glass down on the counter and kissed him deeply, pulling up the bottom of his shirt, her hands running over his muscles.

She lightly dragged her nails down his stomach and he groaned, his hand finding the back of her neck. He used his other hand to push her robe off of her shoulders and she smiled against him, pulling his shirt up. He pulled away long enough to let her take it off and reached for her again. She stepped away, opening the glass door and turning the shower back on. Then, she came back to him, kneeling in front of him, rubbing her hand on the front of his pants.

* * *

John felt his pants tighten when Cory's hand touched him. He moaned, lolling his head as she pulled his pants down. He hadn't exactly planned on this but he wasn't about to stop her. He looked down at her and seeing her kneeling between in front of him, his erection so close to her lips, was almost more than he could take. He prayed she would do something soon. He got his wish when she looked up into his eyes, taking him in her hand and licking the length of him slowly. He clenched his jaw, putting his hand in her hair, guiding her head up and down. She seemed to like getting him close to orgasm and then slowing down, licking him before taking him into her mouth again. He could feel himself getting closer and closer to coming and so could she. She wrapped her hand around the base of his cock, pumping as she bobbed her head up and down on him. Her blue eyes met his and he felt his breath quickening. All of his muscles tightened and he pulled her head down, lifting his hips, exploding into her mouth. She continued for a few seconds, milking him completely. Then, she slowly removed her mouth, licking the tip one last time, sending a chill up his spine. She smiled up at him, using her thumb to wipe the corner of her mouth and then licking it off. John pulled her up, kissing her roughly. She got into the shower and he followed her in, standing behind her and kissing her neck. He reached between her legs, stroking her slowly. Her back arched and he bit down on her soft neck, eliciting a loud moan. When he felt her wetness, he was hard again almost instantly.

"Oh John," she groaned, writhing against him. She turned around, taking his lips with hers, her hands on either side of his neck. He pulled her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. The shower head rained hot water down on both of them as he pressed her back against the tiles. He reached down between them, guiding himself into her and she gasped, her back arching again. He braced himself, placing his hand on the wall and she moved up and down, her nails digging into his shoulder.

"Fuck," John moaned, pushing himself further into her. He could tell she was close. He contemplated slowing down but before he could, he felt her begin to tighten around him. He pressed her between himself and the wall as she moaned loudly, her eyes shut tight. He kissed her again and within seconds, he followed her over the edge. They stayed in that position, kissing for a long time. The water was starting to cool and he looked into her eyes, feeling a swell of emotion for her. He wasn't sure if this was the best time but there was something he needed to tell her.

"I love you," he said, squinting to keep water from getting into his eyes.

She smiled, touching the side of his face, "I love you too."

* * *

"So tell me about yourself," William said, leaning back in his chair. "I've given you my boring life story..you give me yours. It's gotta be more interesting."

"Well," Jessica put down her fork, looking up at him. "There isn't a whole lot to tell…I grew up in Jersey. Never had a father. It's always been me and my mom."

"What about your sister?" William asked, a little confused.

"I didn't know about her for a while," Jessica said, pushing her stir fry around on the plate as she spoke. "It was funny…I was 10 and my mom was working at this department store and she said she ran into an old friend…and then a few days later she tells me that I've got a half-sister I never knew about."

"That must have been a shock."

"It was," Jessica laughed. "But it was great for me. We never really had much and my mom was quicker to spend her last dime on cigarettes than on me so..when Adelle started asking if I could come over and spend time with Cory, my mom jumped at the chance. Our whole apartment could have fit in my little sister's bedroom. Adelle and my mom never really got along but Adelle didn't care too much. She let me spend the night whenever I wanted. She helped my mom pay to put me in a better school. She even threw my sweet 16 party when my mom wasn't gonna give me one. Adelle can be a real character and I get why she drives Cory so insane but..she did a lot for me. And it was great getting to know my sister."

"Siblings are always interesting," William said. "Having three, I know."

"Yeah," Jessica laughed. "You all get along through, right?"

"Definitely," William nodded. "I'd protect them all with my life if I had to…You and Cory get along?"

"Yeah," Jessica nodded. "It was a little harder when we were younger."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not gonna lie, I was a little jealous that Cory got everything she asked for. Once, when I was about twelve and Cory was eight, she made me mad so I told her she was adopted and that when she turned 16 her hair would fall out like her real mother's."

William laughed, "That's funny, once I told Viveca she'd get herpes if she ever peeked in my room when my girlfriend was over again."

"Did that make her stop?" Jessica laughed.

"Nope," he shook his head. "My sister is nothing if not nosy."

"Really?" Jessica feigned shock.

"Shocking, I know," he smirked and she noticed that he had a small dimple in his left cheek. "Viveca is the nosy, know it all. Lianna is the hothead smartass. Liam is a little horn dog."

"And you're the ladies man," She finished for him.

"Not what I was going to say," he pointed. "I was going to say I'm the nerd."

"Nerd?" She frowned. "No way."

"Yes way," he laughed. "Up until my freshman year of college, I was 5'8", 170 pounds soaking wet. I didn't get braces until I was 16 because I refused and my mother didn't make me. I was president of the debate team, valedictorian, av club super nerd."

Jessica looked him over. She guessed he was now about 6'2" or 6'3" with a slender but solid build. His dark hair was thick and cut short. She could tell if he let it grow long it would probably be a wavy mess. His eyes were a steely gray green shrouded with thick, dark lashes. He looked like a real life Disney prince. She couldn't imagine him being anything else.

"So what happened?" Jessica smirked. "Where did this super nerd go?"

"He had a growth spurt, went to law school, and learned how to dress," William smiled. "And with all that came a little confidence. But the nerd is still in there."

"A _little_ confidence?" she teased.

"Maybe more than a little," he shrugged. "But believe me, I'm not as cocky as I seem."

"I like you when you're not cocky," Jessica took a sip of her drink. "A little."

* * *

_The Next Morning…_

"So what exactly are we doing here?" Lianna asked, looking across the table at Viveca. Viveca had shown up that morning, telling her that they had been invited to breakfast and she wasn't going to tell her who the invitation was from until they got to the restaurant. When they got there, Viveca informed her that it was Amy who had requested their presence. Lianna was not pleased. She couldn't understand why her sister wanted to have a meal with the woman after the way she'd treated her in their training session. And Lianna wanted nothing to do with her because of Matt.

"I told you," Viveca rolled her eyes. "Amy wants to extend some sort of olive branch I guess."

"Well I don't give a shit," Lianna shrugged.

"When did you get so mean?" Viveca laughed.

"When you mess with my sister and my…whatever the hell Matt is. Relative by marriage."

"Think of it this way, it's a free meal, we hear her out," Viveca shrugged. "If we don't like what we hear, we tell her to go to hell."

"Why don't we just start with that?" Lianna questioned.

"Because then we don't get the free meal," Viveca smirked. "She should be here in a few minutes."

"Great," Lianna forced a smile.

"So…I've been meaning to ask….how are things with Dave?" Viveca asked.

"Fine," Lianna shrugged. "He's nice. I get the feeling he's not always listening to me though."

"He's probably staring at your boobs those times," Viveca teased.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Lianna laughed.

"I gotta ask…how is he in bed?" Viveca questioned.

Lianna's eyes opened wide, "Viveca!"

"What?" Viveca laughed. "I'm curious."

"I wouldn't know," Lianna said, taking a sip of her water.

"What do you mean you wouldn't know?" Viveca stared.

"I mean unlike you and Liam, I didn't learn my values in regards to sex from William," Lianna poked fun at their notoriously promiscuous brother. "I haven't had sex with him and I don't plan on it any time soon."

"I thought you said he was nice," Viveca frowned, confused.

"He is," Lianna laughed. "So was the bus boy who brought me this water. You don't see me riding him, do you?"

"I had no idea you were so moral," Viveca smiled.

Lianna shrugged, "One of us had to be."

* * *

Cory was startled out of a blissful sleep by the sound of her cell phone's obnoxiously loud alarm. She'd forgotten to turn it off the night before. She and John had been up until at least 3 a.m. She felt like she'd only been asleep for 10 minutes. She sat up slowly, reaching over and turning it off. She smiled when she saw that John was still sleeping peacefully beside her, one of his arms draped over his face. She pulled the sheet up over her chest, smiling down at him. She really had the perfect man. He was gorgeous, he made her feel things no other man had come close to. He always seemed to know exactly what she needed. And he loved her.

She smiled, feeling almost giddy as she thought back to him saying he loved her. She knew that he said it in a moment of passion but she knew that he meant it and she meant it when she said it back.

She got out of bed, walking to the bathroom to get her robe. She found it on the bathroom floor and slipped it on. As she tied the robe, she thought back to something John said the night before. He hadn't been with anyone since the day they met. Even though they hadn't been a couple for most of that time. She leaned against the bathroom door, closing her eyes.

_Cory looked down at Hunter, smiling, "You're the best friend, like, ever."_

"_I know," he nodded. "You don't need to spend so much time thinking about John…You're beautiful. You could have a thousand other guys."_

"_You think I'm beautiful?" she smiled, leaning over the couch._

_He nodded, looking up at her. Cory touched his hand, smiling down at him. He was such a handsome guy. She didn't usually think about him in that way because they were such good friends but in that moment, she couldn't understand how she ever missed it. He reached up, his warm hand finding the back of her neck. Dizzying feelings filled Cory's head when he pulled her down, their lips meeting. For a second she considered pulling away but he smelled amazing and his lips were soft and warm against hers. He stood up and she parted her lips, touching his tongue with hers, her arms wrapping around his neck. His scent completely intoxicated her as he lifted her up and without thinking, she wrapped her arms legs around him. He started moving toward the bed as their kiss deepened. Cory heard a loud noise and then the lights went out. She didn't care what had happened. All of her attention was on him._

"_Are you sure you wanna do this?" he pulled away from her as they reached the foot of the bed._

_She didn't even consider his question, she just grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into another kiss._

_Then she pulled away, pushing him onto the bed, giggling. She was definitely drunker than she'd been in a very long time. It felt nice. For once she wasn't thinking about a million things that confused, upset, or depressed her._

"_Are _you _sure _you _want this?" she smiled, pulling her shirt off over her head. She unbuttoned her jeans, pushing them down over her hips._

_He grabbed her hand, pulling her on top of him, "I'm positive."_

Cory shook her head, trying to rid her brain of the memory. She hadn't thought about that night in a while. At first she hadn't even been able to remember it. She just woke up knowing what happened. As time passed, she'd been able to remember it all. She felt guilty for having sex with Hunter and she wondered if she should tell John. She didn't want there to be secrets between the two of them. She walked toward the bed again, shaking her head when she saw John hugging her pillow. When she looked at him she knew that it wasn't worth it to tell him. It would hurt him and that was the last thing in the world she wanted to do. What he didn't know couldn't hurt him.

* * *

"Interesting news kids," Yvonne walked into Owen's office where he and Sarah both had their heads stuck in manila folders. "God knows you two need it."

"Thanks Vonnie," Owen smirked. "What's the news?"

"Savannah Holbrook is about as existent as your social lives," Yvonne said. "The name is fake."

"_What_?" Sarah put her folder down.

"Fake, fake, fake," Yvonne put the papers with evidence of all the checking she'd done out on Owen's desk.

"I told you there was something weird about that Savannah woman," Sarah pointed at Owen. "If she wasn't suspicious, why would Mark Callaway have a fake name?"

"I don't know," Owen said. "I hate to admit it but we might need to look further into this."

"Told ya," Sarah smiled.

"I cant do it today though," Owen said. "I've been slacking off here and now I'm swamped."

"So am I," Yvonne said.

"Well I'm going to my parents house," Sarah said. "They claim they haven't seen me in years."

"How long has it been?" Yvonne asked.

"A month," Sarah rolled her eyes. "So I'm obliging them, maybe I can go two months after today."

"What are you doing after that?" Owen asked. Yvonne perked up a little.

"I have a story due for my actual job," Sarah answered. "I've gotta get it done ASAP."

"So," Yvonne sighed. "What's the game plan then?"

"Well Dollface, you seem to know it all," Owen looked at Sarah. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know," Sarah said. "Let me think about it…I have to go now, I've gotta drive up to the house now…but I'll call you when I come up with something."

"You be safe," Yvonne ordered.

"Bye Sarah," Owen waved quickly. Sarah picked up her purse and her tote bag and rushed out.

"You really like her don't you?" Yvonne asked.

"What?" Owen stared. "No."

* * *

"I'm sorry I'm late," Amy rushed over to the table, sitting down quickly.

Lianna rolled her eyes. Viveca nudged her under the table and she shot her sister a look.

Amy was 15 minutes late. Lianna was about 30 seconds from leaving.

"It's okay," Viveca assured the redhead.

"I guess I should get right to the point," Amy said, taking a deep breath. "I need to apologize to both of you. Since I've been back I've acted..inappropriately. My first night back I jumped on Jeff right in front of you Viveca, and that wasn't right."

Viveca nodded, finishing her glass of water, "I wasn't exactly pleased."

"And when Cory asked me to help you in the ring..I didn't take it seriously," Amy said. "I'm sorry for that. And Lianna..I told you that what happened between Matt and I was none of your business but I realize now that I was wrong. You've been a really great friend to him and..I haven't."

"Ya think?" Lianna snipped.

"I asked you guys to come out with me because I want a clean slate," Amy explained. "I want you to know that I know what I did wrong and I'm trying to fix it. I don't know either of you very well and you're obviously really important to people that I care a lot about. I want to get to know you and I want you to get to know me. Maybe even be friends."

Amy's words hung in the air and all three women looked at each other.

Viveca spoke first, "Well…I appreciate you coming to us like this. I don't know if I'll be working out in the ring with you any time soon but we can try."

Lianna wanted to argue but she knew Viveca would just hit her again so she simply nodded and smiled. She couldn't understand why her sister was so intent on giving Amy a chance. Lianna just couldn't bring herself to trust her. If Viveca was going to give her a chance, that was her prerogative but Lianna was going to keep an eye on her.

* * *

Jonah knocked on the door to Taylor's room and Chris realized he was holding his breath. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to say what he had to say. But he knew that Viveca was right. He owed Taylor the truth.

"She's really excited to see you," Jonah smiled as they waited.

"That's good to know," Chris smirked.

The door opened slowly and Chris felt a familiar tug at his heart when he saw her. She was wearing a Smackdown t-shirt and black pants, her hair was in a loose braid, draped over one shoulder. She looked healthier every time he saw her. Her skin had it's color back, her eyes were bright.

"Hi," she smiled, grabbing his hand and pulling him in. "You're late."

"I know," he waved as Jonah walked over to his desk. He was supposed to be supervising their visit but, as usual, he kept his distance. He knew nothing inappropriate was going on.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Chris said, pulling her into a hug. She squeezed him tightly and he hugged back, enjoying the feeling. He hoped she'd be so happy to see him in a few minutes.

"I have something to tell you."

They both spoke the same sentence at the same time.

"Ladies first," he gestured, sitting down.

"No, you first, I insist," she beamed. "Mine's a pretty big deal.

"So is mine," he sighed. "You sure you don't wanna go first?"

"Positive," she nodded. "What's up?"

"I talked to Paula today," he said. "She told me what you guys talked about today. About your family."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "Sometimes I forget what a big mouth Paula has.._Why _would she tell you before I got a chance to?"

Chris was tempted to just end the conversation there before it got too deep. He could still say he didn't know and just blame Paula's notoriously big mouth.

"She told me because I know something about this. She does too," he explained. "And she wasn't sure if we should tell you or not."

"Why would you not tell me?" She asked, her blue eyes narrowing. "And why haven't you already told me? What do you know?"

"Taylor, you have to understand why I didn't-"

"Chris, what do you know?" she repeated.

"I found something that day at your old house," Chris sighed. "In a lock box. I didn't know-"

"What?" Taylor asked anxiously. "What did you find?"

"Their birth certificates," Chris explained.

Taylor stared at him as if he'd grown a second head, "You found my sister's birth certificates?"

Chris nodded.

"All this time, you've known who they are," Taylor stared. "And you didn't tell me."

"Taylor it's complicated."

"Complicated how?" She yelled. "What is so complex about telling the truth?"

"I didn't lie to you," he defended himself. "I just..I didn't know how to tell you."

"Why?" she crossed her arms over her chest. "What else aren't you telling me?'

"You know them," he answered. "We both do. Hell, I introduced you to them."

"What?" she looked completely lost

"This is gonna sound crazy but the birth certificates I found...they were Cory and Jessica's," Chris explained.

"That's not possible," Taylor shook her head. "I've talked to Cory about her father before. His name was Ethan. She showed me the tattoo she got in his honor."

"His name is on her birth certificate but in the one I found with your father's things, it's whited out. Your father wrote his name on top of it," Chris explained.

"That's insane," tears sprung to Taylor's eyes. "My father was crazy. Cory comes from a wealthy family in the same area. Maybe he just..."

"Your father dated Cory's mother. And Jessica's," Chris informed her. "We're pretty sure it's true."

"So you and Paula have been investigating this...all this time I've been in here miserable and you could have told me?"

"Taylor-"

"Get out," Taylor looked right through him.

"But-"

"Get out," she repeated herself.

Chris got up and when he took a step closer to her she looked away.

"I'm sorry Taylor," he said. "I never meant to hurt you."

She walked over to the door and held it open for him.

Chris walked out with his hands in his pockets and his proverbial tail tucked between his legs. All he could do was hope that somehow, some way Taylor would forgive him. As he heard the door shut behind him, he wondered if that was possible.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24...**

Taylor stared out the window, tapping her fingers on the notebook in her lap. She couldn't get what Chris had done out of her head. She couldn't believe he'd lied to her for so long. She never thought he would do something like that.

"Knock, knock."

Taylor was surprised to see Cory standing at her door holding a pink bakery box.

"Hello gorgeous," Cory smiled.

"Hi," Taylor stood up, walking over to her. Cory put the box down and they hugged. When Taylor hugged her, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to imagine what this would have been like when they were kids. She couldn't believe that all this time her own sisters had been right in front of her face. She couldn't tell her. She couldn't tell either of them yet.

"What are you doing here?" Taylor asked. "Aside from bringing me amazing cupcakes."

Cory smiled, "My accountant was informed that the most recent withdrawal from the hospital will be the last…I figured that had to be good news."

Taylor beamed at the thought. She still couldn't believe she was finally getting out.

"It is," she nodded. "I'm busting out of this joint."

"That's amazing," Cory hugged her again. "I'm so happy for you."

"I now know what that saying 'over the moon' really means," Taylor smiled.

"So what's next?" Cory asked.

"Well, Dr. Tanner wants to know my plans once I leave," Taylor explained. "Employment, living arrangements, all that."

"Well that's pretty easy," Cory said, as they both sat down on the bed. "You can go back to working for Mark as soon as you're ready. Hell, I might need a personal assistant soon too."

"I'm not sure anyone wants me working for them after everything that's happened," Taylor shook her head, looking down at her hands. "I didn't exactly come out looking stable."

"Mark has always said as soon as you're ready he'd love to have you back," Cory insisted.

"Really?"

Cory nodded.

Taylor was touched. Mark had easily been the best boss she'd ever had and she'd considered him a friend as well. He'd sent her flowers quite a few times while she'd been in the hospital.

"Well that covers that," she shrugged.

"As far as living arrangements go, I'm sure we can find you something," Cory said. "You just have to decide where you want to look."

"Honestly..I'm not really sure that I'm ready to live alone," Taylor admitted. She felt better than she had in a long time but she just wasn't sure she was ready for that.

"Have you talked to Chris at all about this?" Cory asked.

"That's not gonna happen," Taylor looked away. She realized that her tone probably gave away more than she wanted and she quickly tried to cover, "My relationship with Chris is at a really weird point, you know? I think right now my focus needs to be work and continuing to get better. Living with him is probably not the best idea."

"Probably not," Cory nodded. She leaned back on her elbows, with a thoughtful look on her face. "Here's an idea…Move in with me."

Taylor couldn't imagine the look she had on her face.

"_Seriously_," Cory sat up. "We get along great. I have more room than I could ever use."

Cory had already been so generous with her, Taylor wasn't sure if she should take any more from her. But as she considered it, she realized that this was a great opportunity to get to know one of her sisters better.

"You're sure its okay?"

"Positive," Cory nodded. She held up her hand, smiling, "Roommates?"

Taylor laughed, slapping her hand against Cory's. "Roommates."

* * *

Jeff looked up when he heard the door open. He smiled when he saw his wife, gym bag over her shoulder, walking slowly into the room.

"Hey baby," he walked over, taking the bag from her and helping her get her coat off. She winced, stretching out her arms.

"You okay?"

"My shoulders are killing me," she said, leaning against him. "Amy is kind of a drill sergeant."

Jeff looked down at her, surprised, "You were at the gym with Amy?"

"Don't look so shocked," she laughed, walking over to the bed and taking off her shoes. "We're not going to cycle up any time soon. We were at the gym at the same time and she gave me some pointers."

"I've noticed you've been making an effort to get along with her." Jeff couldn't help but be suspicious, "Is this some kind of friends close enemies closer thing?"

"Honey, Amy is not my enemy," Viveca laughed.

"You sure about that?" he raised a brow at her.

"Positive," she laughed. "What happened between the two of you is in the past. You're _my _husband. As long as everyone knows that, I'm fine."

* * *

"Thanks for walking me," Lianna said as she and Matt approached her hotel room door. They had an autograph signing together and rode back to the hotel together.

"No problem," Matt shrugged. "I didn't want you getting mugged."

"Mugged in a hotel hallway?" she smirked, looking through her purse for her room key.

"I was obviously kidding," Matt said. "You could take a mugger."

Lianna laughed, momentarily forgetting her search. As much as she hated to admit it, Matt could be funny when he wanted to. In fact, lately she had been seeing him in a much different light than she had since they'd met and it was somewhat nauseating. They were getting along entirely too well.

"I could take the mugger if he was as weak as you," she said, finding her key.

"What'd you say?" Matt arched an eyebrow at her.

"Did I say something?" Lianna stared at him innocently.

"Very funny," Matt said. "You may look angelic but I don't buy that innocent act."

"You think I look angelic?" she teased.

"When you're not talking," he shrugged.

"I suppose I'll accept that," she laughed. They stood in comfortable silence and finally she opened her door.

"You wanna come out with some of us later?" he asked.

She opened her mouth to say yes but before the word got out, she remembered that she couldn't, "You know, I would love to but I'm going out with Dave tonight."

"Ah," Matt nodded. "Sounds like you're in for some stimulating conversation."

Lianna narrowed her eyes, "That wasn't very nice Hardy."

"I wasn't trying to be," Matt shrugged.

"I'll see you later?" she asked.

"You will," he nodded. "You have a good night."

"How could I not? I don't have to deal with you anymore," she smiled.

"You're such a charming girl," Matt marveled.

"Same to you my dear," Lianna smiled, stepping into her room. "Same to you."

* * *

"Picking up an order for Cena," John walked up to the register, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. He was picking up food for himself. The cashier gave him his total and he handed over his credit card.

"It's gonna be a few minutes, we're just finishing it up," she explained, handing back his card. "You can wait right over there sir."

John put his credit card away, walking in the direction she pointed. There was one other person waiting. Someone he knew.

Hunter.

He'd been meaning to talk to Hunter for a while and just hadn't had the chance. Now seemed like as good a chance as any. For once none of their friends were around to hear the conversation.

"Hey man," John walked over, patting him on the shoulder.

"Hey," Hunter turned around. "What's up?"

"Not much," he shrugged. "Just picking up something to eat."

"Same here," Hunter nodded.

"Listen, I wanted to ask you about something," John said, trying to keep his tone even. He and Hunter were friends, had been for years. He needed to approach this the right way.

"Shoot."

"You remember the night of Jeff and V's wedding?" John asked.

"Yeah, I remember it," Hunter nodded. "I wasn't as drunk as everybody else."

"Yeah, well, neither was I," John laughed. "But Cory was-"

"Right," Hunter nodded. "I remember. I took care of her."

Hunter's tone was beginning to sound tense.

"Why didn't you tell me she asked for me?"

Hunter frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Hunter, you know what I'm talking about," John shook his head. "Cory told me she asked you to find me. I came to the door and you told me she didn't want to see anyone. You wanna explain that to me?"

Hunter shrugged, "I didn't think it was a good idea for her to see anyone. She was having a really bad night and-"

"And she wanted _me_," John felt himself growing angrier. "Its not your place to decide what's right for her."

"It is when I'm the one taking care of her," Hunter said through clenched teeth. "She'd just finished puking her guts out when you showed up. She didn't need _you_. She didn't need _me_. She needed rest."

"And I'm supposed to believe you were just looking out for her best interest?" John asked. "That was all about her getting a little sleep?"

Hunter took a step closer to him, "What else would it be about Cena?"

"You tell me," John shrugged.

"Fancy meeting you two here."

John turned, surprised to see Stephanie's blue eyes boring into he and Hunter. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all," Hunter shook his head.

"You sure?" she asked. "It looked a little tense over here."

"Just having a discussion about football," John lied. "You know how I get about my Patriots."

Stephanie laughed, shaking her head, "Well..I've been meaning to sit the two of you down. Do you have a few minutes?"

"I do," Hunter shrugged.

"No time like the present," John said, walking over to an empty table.

Once they were all seated comfortably, Stephanie clasped her hands in front of her on the table, a sure sign that she was ready to get down to business.

"So I wanted to talk to you because my father and I have decided it's time to change things up a bit," Stephanie explained. "We feel that Hunter and Mark's feud has run it's course. We're gonna start an angle with the two of you."

"Sounds great," Hunter said, obviously not enthused.

John couldn't help but smile. He'd been waiting for a title shot for quite some time.

"Any other details?" Hunter asked.

"Glenn will interfere in your title match with Mark, ending your angle and starting one for them. The next night on Raw, we'll have a number one contender's match. John wins, the angle begins," Stephanie explained.

"Sounds good to me," John nodded.

"My father's been talking about involving Cory as well," she added.

"Cory?" Hunter looked surprised.

"He said something about fuel to the fire," Stephanie shrugged. "Its not set in stone, he's just mentioned it. I'll get more information from him tomorrow and let you guys know."

John smirked a little, thinking back to the conversation they were having before Stephanie showed up.

"Listen, I'm gonna get going," Stephanie said. "You guys continue your discussion about..football."

After Stephanie excused herself, Hunter got up, "Congratulations Cena."

"I don't think we were done talking," John stood as well.

"Listen, Cory is my friend and I took care of her," Hunter shrugged. "You have a problem with that, I don't know what to tell you. What's done is done."

"Do you have a problem with me being with Cory?" John asked.

"What the two of you do is your business," Hunter insisted. "It has nothing to do with me."

With that, Hunter left. John sat back down, wondering if Hunter was telling the truth.

* * *

"You ready for this Dollface?" Owen asked as they stood at the door to Michael's apartment. He knew it was going to be difficult for her to be at the scene of her friend's murder and he felt bad for bringing her there but he didn't have much choice. They were in this together.

"I'll be fine," she nodded. "I can do this."

"If you need to leave just-"

"Owen, open the door," Sarah insisted. "I'm fine right now but I don't know if I will be all night. Let's get this show on the road."

"Okay," Owen shrugged, opening the door and slowly pushing it open. He knew there was nothing in the apartment but at this point, he felt he needed to be prepared for everything.

Sarah walked ahead of him and he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Good lord," Sarah frowned, covering her nose and mouth with her hands. The apartment smelled like garbage.

Sarah shook her head, "So what do we do?"

"Look around," Owen shrugged, pulling his shirt up over his nose. "Pray you find something good."

Sarah turned and walked through the apartment, her heels clicking on the hard wood floor. The place was a mess. The walls were all dingy, the windows were so dirty you couldn't see outside. She made it to the hall and then tripped, falling hard on the floor, her knee bouncing off of the wood.

"Son of a _bitch_!" she exclaimed, rolling over onto her back.

"You alright?" Owen rushed to her side, looking concerned.

"I think so," she answered, feeling her leg start to throb.

"Careful," he said, taking her hand as she sat up slowly.

She looked at the area where she'd fallen and saw that one of the floorboards was raised a little higher than the others. She quickly over to it and pushed on it.

"What are you doing?" Owen looked confused.

"I tripped on this," she pushed again. Seeing that it jiggled a little, she tried to pull it up but her nails were making it difficult.

"Can you pull this up?" she asked.

"What are you gonna do?" Owen smirked, kneeling down. "Punish it for making you fall?"

"Just pull it up," she glared. He took a pen out of his pocket and pried the board up until he could pull it out.

Owen looked down into the area under the floor. He glimpsed a corner of something and reached down pulling it over.

"I think we might have a jackpot here Dollface," Owen smiled up at her. He pulled out what looked like a book.

"It's a diary," Sarah knelt down beside him. She took it from him, brushing the dust off the front.

"How do you know?"

"Gee I don't know," Sarah held it up with a wide-eyed look. "The lock maybe?"

_

* * *

Later that night…_

Sarah opened the diary as they drove back to her house.

"What's it say?" Owen asked as they stopped at a red light.

Sarah read the passage

_I am in love with the most wonderful man in the world. I've never met anyone so incredible. So smart and funny and just…amazing. There aren't words that describe him. I don't know what I'd do if he left me. I'd probably kill myself. I know that sounds crazy but it's true. I love him. I haven't known him for that long but I can just tell that I need to be with him forever. No one else can ever have this man. Mark is mine. Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine, __Mine__._

"And she ends it with a smiley face," Sarah closed the diary.

"She?"

"Don't even _think_ about this being Michael's," Sarah pointed. "I think its pretty clear after talking to Martin Greenburg that this place was _not_ his."

"Then whose was it?" he asked. "It's in his name."

Sarah tapped the diary on her lap, "The answer has to be in here."

* * *

"So I have some interesting news."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" John asked, holding the phone to his ear while he played Madden.

"I'm gonna have a roommate in a few days," Cory said excitedly.

"Please tell me its not your mother," he laughed. "That could seriously hamper our sex life."

"Its not my mother, and my bedroom walls are soundproof," She laughed.

"So you're saying we have to keep it in the bedroom?" he smirked.

"We'll see Cena," she laughed. "It's Taylor. She's being released, the doctor wanted to know her plan. I told her she could stay with me."

"Has anyone ever told you you're a really good friend?" John asked.

"Once or twice," she answered. "I like being told I'm a good girlfriend more though."

"That you are gorgeous," he assured her. "When are we moving Taylor's stuff?"

"I'll have all the details tomorrow," she answered.

"What time does your flight get in tomorrow?" he asked.

"Noon."

"I'll be there to pick you up," he informed her.

"Cant wait," she said. He could hear her smile. "So I got myself a new roommate today..what did you do?"

"I had an interesting conversation with Hunter today."

She paused for a second before responding, "Interesting, huh? What'd you talk about?"

"You, actually."

"Me?" she sounded surprised. "What about me?'

"I confronted him about not telling me you were looking for me the night of the wedding," he explained. "I saw him that night and he didn't say a word about it."

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He fed me something about doing what he felt was right," John answered. "Honestly, it sounded like bullshit to me."

"Why?" she asked. "I mean, what other reason could he have?"

"Have you ever thought that maybe…I don't know..maybe Hunter sees you as more than a friend?"

"Me?" she laughed. "God, no. He's been after Jessica for years. You know that."

"I do but..sometimes I see him looking at you and…I don't know. It's weird."

"It's not," she laughed. "You're imagining things."

"You think so?"

"I know so," she insisted. "Now I'm gonna get some sleep. You go back to Madden. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you baby," he said, pausing his game and leaning back against the couch.  
"I love you too," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

"You want some coffee?" Sarah asked as Owen plopped down on the couch and she dropped her purse and keys on the coffee table.

"I don't suppose you have any decaf," he smirked.

"Will you leave me alone with the caffeine?" she shook her head, walking into the kitchen.

Owen opened up the diary, flipping to a page where the handwriting seemed a little different. It looked to be from the same hand, just…different. The writing was a little smaller and had more harsh lines.

_She's pregnant._

_I cant believe he would do this to me. What did I do? Why wasn't I enough for him? I gave him everything. I gave him my body and soul and he threw me away like garbage. _

_For her._

_I don't think I've ever hated anyone the way I hate her. That bitch took everything from me._

_I have to get him back. I have to make him understand._

_If I can just talk to him, he'll understand._

_He loves me._

_But he got her pregnant._

_He betrayed me. He needs to pay for that. SHE needs to pay for that._

_I have to find a way._

_I have to find a way to make them understand what they've done._


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25...**

"I'm going to see Michael's parents again on Wednesday," Sarah said as she and Owen stood near her door.

"You want me to come with you?" he offered.

"No," Sarah shook her head. "I think what I need is a combination that they cant say no to."

"And what combination is that?" Owen asked.

"Well, Michael's mother has always had a weakness for me," Sarah said. "She's always thought I was a little fragile and she liked to protect me…and Michael's father…well he has a weakness for good looking women…I think I'm gonna give Cory a call tonight and see if she'll come with me."

"Let's hope we get something," Owen said. "Once we figure out who wrote this diary…"

"Then we've won half the battle," Sarah smiled. She yawned, stretching her arms up over her head and she noticed Owen staring.

"So," she walked over to the door and unlocked it, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"What?" Owen shook his head. "Right..yeah."

* * *

"This may just be the easiest move in history," Mark said, carrying one of Taylor's boxes through Cory's foyer.

Taylor laughed. Mark was right. She didn't have a hell of a lot to move. It was mostly just boxes of clothes.

Cory followed him in carrying another box and a few bags. John brought up the rear with the last, and heaviest, box.

Taylor marveled at her new, if temporary, home. Cory's penthouse apartment seemed about 3 times the size of the house Taylor grew up in. The studio apartment she'd lived in before meeting Chris would have fit into the kitchen.

"What do you think?" Cory walked over to her, draping an arm over her shoulders.

"I think I could definitely live here," Taylor laughed.

"Mi casa es su casa," Cory shrugged. She handed her a key ring with three keys and a key card on it. "The keys are for the back entrance of the building, the mail box, and the front door. The key card is for the gym and the pool downstairs."

"Thank you," Taylor smiled at her. "For everything, really. I don't know how to thank you."

"You're welcome," Cory hugged her. "Now stop thanking me, please."

"Deal," Taylor hugged back.

"So where's Chris while I'm breaking my back hauling this load?" Mark asked, walking toward the kitchen.

Taylor looked down at her nails, not sure what to say. She'd hadn't spoken to Chris at all since the night he told her the truth about Cory and Jessica. She hadn't told anyone that they were fighting because she didn't want to have to explain why.

"He's uh..he's…I don't really know where he is," she shrugged. "We sort of had a fight."

"I'm sorry," Mark looked guilty.

"Don't be, it's fine," Taylor waved it off.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," John smiled at her. He mussed Cory's hair, "If me and this one can get our shit together, you and Chris can."

"He's right," Mark assured her. "I never thought they would figure this out."

"Thanks Mark," Cory glared.

"You know I love you kid," Mark raised his bottle of water in her direction.

"Thanks guys," Taylor sighed, looking down at her hands again before pasting on a big smile. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

* * *

"So I heard Taylor's moving in with Cory this morning," Chris said, looking down at his breakfast. He and Viveca were having breakfast.

"She is," Viveca nodded. "Do you think she's told Cory about..you know?"

"No," he shook his head. "There's no way she would tell her. She doesn't want Cory and Jessica to know who their father was."

"Understandable," Viveca finished her coffee. "Have you talked to her yet?"

Chris shook his head, "I've tried. She wont talk to me. And when she got out of the hospital, she got a new cell phone. I don't even have her new number."

"I'm so sorry Chris," Viveca took his head. "I know how hard this must be for you."

"I don't know what to do," Chris sighed. "I should have told her right away."

"No, you shouldn't have," Viveca shook her head. "You told her when she was ready, when she could handle hearing it. You did the right thing."

"I wish Taylor thought that."

"Me too," Viveca said. "Listen…leave it to me. I'll get her to talk to you."

"I don't know V. She-"

"Will listen to me," Viveca insisted. "Trust me."

* * *

"Why is this font so _tiny_?" William squinted down at the menu in front of him.

Jessica laughed, shaking her head. "It's not that small. Put your glasses on grandpa."

"No," he glared at her. "I told you, I don't wear those in public."

"And I told you they look nice on you," Jessica put her menu down. "You're being ridiculous. How are you going to decide what to eat? You gonna ask for the large print senior menu?"

"You think they have one?" he asked hopefully.

"No," she giggled.

"This is your fault for coming to my room and dragging me out before I could put my contacts in," he pointed.

"You're right, I did drag you out," she nodded. "But I didn't hear you complaining. Or telling me you couldn't see."

"You caught me off guard," he shrugged.

She grabbed his coat that was draped over the chair next to her and pulled out the glasses case. She knew he kept them with him in case he absolutely needed them. She pulled them out of the case and held them out to him, "Put the glasses on."

"Only because I like when you get bossy," he put the glasses on, looking down at the menu again. "What are you thinking of getting?"

"Belgian waffles..or a burger," she answered.

"Could you pick two things that are further apart?" he made a face.

"I cant decide between breakfast or lunch," she shrugged. "I like waffles, I like burgers. This is a very important decision."

"Obviously," he smirked. "Why don't you just get both?"

"Because I'll get fat," she gave him a look.

"I doubt that," he smiled. "Tell you what, you get waffles, I'll get whichever burger you were looking at. You can have a few bites."

"That is a _great _idea," she smiled. "You must be a fantastic attorney."

"I am," he smiled.

"You know, I have to say, I really like hanging out with you," Jessica smiled at him. "You're not nearly as bad as I thought you were."

"_Thanks_," he laughed. "I like being around you too…Which is why I've been meaning to ask you…how would you like to go on a real date with me?"

Jessica felt her smile grow wider and she looked away. She liked William. She liked him a lot. She just wasn't sure going on a date with him was a good idea.

"I don't know William," she felt herself beginning to blush.

"Come on, you had to see this coming," William laughed. "You haven't thought about what you'd say?"

"I guess I was trying not to," she admitted. "Do you mind if I think about it?"

Disappointment momentarily touched his handsome features but he recovered quickly, " Okay, think about it. Just let me know soon. I may not wait forever."

* * *

_Michael was here again._

_He keeps coming around._

_He wants to help. He told me that I need to get out more. He thinks that I should talk to someone. A doctor. He says I need to work through my problems. Says he's worried._

_He needs to stay away. He doesn't understand. He doesn't understand what I have to do. I cant let him interfere. I cant let him keep me from what I need to do. I don't want to hurt Michael. I love him. But he doesn't understand._

Sarah's hands shook as she looked at the page. That was it. That was their proof that Michael didn't live in the apartment full time. It was in his name but he wasn't the resident. Whoever wrote the diary was.

"Thank God for clumsiness," she said, remembering her fall as she closed the diary. Now, hopefully Michael's parents would be able to tell them exactly who _was_ living there.

* * *

John let out a whistle as he walked through the open door of the women's dressing room. Cory was standing in front of the mirror, finishing up her makeup. Her long hair was pulled up into a high, tight ponytail. Her long legs stretched from a pair of tiny black leather shorts and she was wearing a black lace bra. She turned to face him, smiling brightly.

"You plan on putting on any more clothes?" he smirked.

"Well, they gave me this," she held up a very small version of one of his t-shirts. "But if you don't want me to wear it…"

"No I want you to wear it," he smiled, walking over to her. "If you're gonna be half naked, I'd like you to have my name across your chest."

"As you wish," she smirked, pulling away and putting the shirt on. It wasn't long enough to cover her flat stomach.

"I didn't mean you needed to put it on now," he grabbed her hand, pulling her against him.

"Calm down Cena," she smirked, kissing him softly. "I don't think we have time for that."

"We can make time," he smiled, kissing her neck. "The show hasn't started yet."

"But it will soon," she laughed, pushing him away.

He sat down on the couch, knowing when to quit. She wasn't going to give in, though he could tell she wanted to.

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, pulling her down next to him.

"What's up?"

"My mom and dad are gonna be at the show on Thursday," he explained. "I was hoping we could go to lunch with them before the show so they could get to know you better."

She looked touched and smiled, nodding enthusiastically, "Of course. That sounds great baby."

"You sure you don't mind?"

"Why would I mind?" she asked. "I think its great. I love that you want me to have a relationship with your parents."

"Well..I plan on keeping you around for a very, very long time," he smiled, wrapping her in his arms. "I'm sure my parents are gonna love you just as much as I do."

"Were you always this sweet?" she smiled, sitting on his lap.

"Yeah, you just didn't see it because you used to be such a bi-"

"Don't push it," she laughed. She leaned down, kissing him passionately before pulling away and looking into his eyes, "I love you."

* * *

Hunter rounded the corner toward the women's locker room, tapping the match listing Stephanie had just handed him against his hand. She had asked him to get Cory for her. He stopped at the doorway to the room when he saw her. She was on John's lap, smiling down at him. John had his hands on the sides of her face and he pulled her down into a kiss. Hunter turned away quickly, not interested in watching any more of their affection. He didn't make it very far. Mark was standing right behind him.

"You okay man?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Hunter tried to move around him.

"I mean are you okay with _that_?" Mark pointed into the room.

Hunter regretted ever admitting to Mark that he had feelings for Cory. It was better when no one knew.

"I'm fine with it," he insisted. "Doesn't bother me at all."

Hunter tried to walk away again and this time Mark let him. But he didn't stop talking.

"I'm asking you because if you're not..you need to say something now," Mark explained.

Hunter stopped walking and turned around, "What are you talking about?"

"They're only gonna get closer Hunter," Mark said.

"I understand that," Hunter said. "Cory loves John. John loves her…I'm not sure what I feel for her but its nothing compared to what they have. I get it. I'm not gonna try to mess that up. You don't have to worry about it."

"Listen, I'm not just worried about them," Mark said, earnest look in his eyes. "You're my friend. I'm worried about how this plays out for you too."

"Don't be," Hunter put up a hand. "I'll be just fine."

* * *

Chris leaned against a trunk, surveying the backstage area as he had been for the last 20 minutes. He knew Taylor was there. Cory and John had been at the arena before he got there and he was sure Taylor arrived with them. She had to come through the common area soon. He figured the only way he could talk to her was to catch her. After a few minutes, he saw Mark and Taylor coming his way. She looked amazing. Her hair was in a low side ponytail, draped over her right shoulder. She wore a blue and gray striped sweater and tight jeans tucked into brown leather boots. She was laughing at something that Mark said. It was great to see her smiling. He only hoped she would still smile when she saw him.

His hopes were dashed when they got closer. She saw him and her smile faded.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he fell into step beside she and Mark.

"I'll leave you kids to it," Mark excused himself.

Taylor stopped walking but didn't say anything. She was looking down at her nails which looked recently manicured.

"You look great," he smiled.

"Thank you," she looked away.

"Taylor, I'm so sorry about everything," he ran a hand through his hair. The fact that she couldn't seem to look at him made him more anxious by the second. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"This isn't the place to talk about it," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I've been trying to call you," he said. "I just think that if we can talk-"

"Talk about what?" she finally made eye contact with him. She spoke in a hushed tone, "Talk about you _lying _to me?"

"I wasn't trying to lie to you," Chris insisted. "I care about you. You have to understand, I would never do anything to hurt you."

"Well you did," Taylor shrugged. "You know…I just..I cant deal with this right now. This is my first day back to work. I have tons to get caught up on."

Chris sighed, knowing that he couldn't force her to stay and talk to him. He just hated that she couldn't talk to him. He hated that he'd hurt her.

"Can we talk later?" he asked. "Cory told me everyone's going out tonight to celebrate you coming back. Maybe we could…"

"I don't think so," she shook her head. "Honestly, I'd appreciate it if you didn't come. I'm just not ready to be around you yet. I'm sorry."

Before he could say anything else, she was walking away. He leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling, wondering if he would ever be able to right this wrong. He hoped he could, because he cared about Taylor more than anyone or anything. He couldn't stand the idea that he'd really lost her.

* * *

_After the show…_

"So you and William seem to be getting along famously," Cory said, pulling a tube of lip gloss out of her pocket. "I hear a lot of giggling coming from that end of the table."

They'd all gone to a sports bar near the hotel for Taylor's Welcome Home celebration. Cory couldn't help but notice that William and Jessica came in the same car and he'd pulled out her chair when they sat down.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jessica said, blushing as she touched up her mascara.

"Oh I think you do," Cory tugged at a piece of her sister's hair. "You like him, don't you?"

Jessica bit her lip to keep from smiling and Cory clapped her hands together, "You do!"

Jessica took a deep breath, turning to face her sister, "I think so."

"So…when are you guys gonna have a real date?"

"I don't know," Jessica shrugged. "He asked me today."

"And you said…?" Cory gestured for her to continue.

"I said I needed to think about it," Jessica admitted. "I think I like him but…I'm just not sure if I should go out with him."

"Why shouldn't you?" Cory asked, sitting on the bathroom counter. "He's a nice guy. He's smart. Attractive, successful, _completely _into you…where's the problem?"

"I don't know," Jessica admitted, tapping her mascara tube against her hand. "You think I should do it?"

"Damn right I do," Cory nodded.

Jessica smiled, "Thanks for the input sis."

Cory put an arm around her as she opened the door, "Anytime."

* * *

"Oh come on, just try it once," Amy laughed.

"Hell no," Viveca shook her head. "I am a woman of class. I do not chug beer."

"But its fun," Amy insisted. "You know you wanna try it."

"Fine, one time," Viveca held up her index finger.

Amy laughed, rushing over to the bar.

Jeff looked back and forth between his wife and his friend, amazed at the exchange going on in front of him. He knew they were trying to get along but he hadn't realized the two of them having a few drinks together would turn them into bosom buddies.

"V, are you feeling okay?" he put a hand to Viveca's forehead.

"Yes," she laughed, slapping his hand away. "I'm having fun."

"With Amy?"

"She's _your _friend," she reminded him. "Don't you _want _me to have fun with her?"

"Of course I do," he answered quickly. "I just…"

"You just what?" Amy reappeared between them, placing two beers down on the table.

"Nothing," he shook his head.

Amy put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing softly, "Everything okay?"

Jeff nodded, "Sure. Everything's fine."

* * *

Lianna leaned over, whispering to Matt, "Am I the only one who thinks she's full of shit?"

Matt's eyes were trained on Jeff, Viveca, and Amy.

"Not at all," came his response. "She's plying Viveca with drinks while she's got her arm around my brother…I don't trust that for a second."

"Neither do I," Lianna shook her head. "I think we need to keep a close eye on that situation."

"We will," Matt agreed.

Lianna went to grab a French fry from the plate in front of Matt and he slapped her hand.

"Oh come on, we're formulating a plan," she said. "I need nourishment."

He rolled his eyes, pushing the plate toward her.

She smiled, grabbing a few fries and winking at him.

She heard someone clearing their throat behind them and she turned, seeing Dave standing there looking displeased.

"Hey there," she smiled, waving a fry at him.

"Hi," he gave her a tense smile. "Am I interrupting?"

"No," she shook her head. "Grab a seat."

He put his hand on the back of Matt's chair beside her, "I'll take this one. Move Hardy."

Lianna gave him a surprised look but he didn't back down. Matt looked beyond annoyed but he shrugged it off, moving into the next seat, "All yours."

* * *

Mark walked back to the table with a tray full of drinks everyone ordered along with some complimentary shots from the bartender. The guy was a big wrestling fan and just about everyone had given him an autograph or taken a picture with him since they'd arrived. He reclaimed his seat between Jessica and Hunter. William and Taylor sat at either end. And John and Cory sat across from him. Cory was on his lap and they'd been sharing drinks all night. As nauseatingly affectionate as they were at times, Mark was truly thrilled to see the two of them so happy, especially after his talk earlier with Hunter. Now that he knew there was nothing in their way, he knew he didn't need to worry about them. They were obviously great together. And they were honest with each other. They would never have the problems he and Dawn had.

Mark started handing out the drinks and then stood, holding his up, "I would like to propose a toast to our guest of honor."

Taylor's cheeks started to turn pink.

"To Taylor…who in less than 6 hours of work today, managed to reorganize my entire schedule and get all of my bills paid. Personal assistant is not the appropriate title for you. You're more like a life manager and you are definitely the best one I've ever had. Glad to have ya back."

"Thank you," she smiled, raising her glass.

"Welcome back Taylor," Cory raised her beer bottle. Everyone clinked their glasses and bottles together.

Cory whispered something in John's ear and then got up, "I'll be back. I've gotta go to the bathroom."

She rushed away before any of the other women could offer to join her. Less than a minute later, John got up, downing the rest of his beer, "I'll be right back."

"Not very subtle guys," Jessica laughed.

"Really," Mark agreed. "You two cant keep it in your pants until we leave?"

John didn't turn around. He flipped them the bird over his shoulder as he walked away.

Mark looked over at Hunter. He was drinking a beer and talking to William. He didn't seem to be staring after the happy couple. That was a good sign.

Mark turned the other way, looking at Taylor's end of the table. She had a faraway look in her eyes, one he'd caught her with a few times that day. It hurt his heart that such a sweet person had gone through as much as she had. She was young, pretty, and smart. She should have had all the opportunities in the world. Instead, she'd been dealt one of the worst hands Mark had ever seen.

He walked over, tapping her on the shoulder, "Walk with me."

She got up, bringing her drink with her. They walked toward the door where it was quieter.

"How you holdin' up?" he asked.

She smiled, "I'm great. That was a really nice toast, Mark. You didn't have to say such nice things about me."

"It was all true," he assured her. "Where's Chris tonight?"

The faraway look was back in an instant. She looked toward the door, tapping her nails on her glass.

"I'm not sure," she admitted.

"The way he talks about you…I figured you two would be inseparable once you got back."

"Yeah well…things aren't always what we expect I guess," she shrugged.

"What happened?" he asked.

She was about to start but then she shook her head, "No..I couldn't lay my issues on you Mark. Not after everything you've been going through."

"Sure you can," he smiled. "I need the distraction. You can talk to me about anything."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Well…I found out that Chris lied to me. I'd rather not say what it was about but…it was something big. Really big."

"That doesn't sound like Chris," Mark frowned.

She took a sip of her drink and sighed, "I know…I guess it may have been more of an _omission _than a lie but…he left out something important for a _long _time."

"Taylor I understand exactly how much that hurts, believe me," Mark sighed. "Sometimes people keep things from you because they love you. It may not be right but they think it is at the time and they do it because they want to protect you. I've known Chris for a long time. You and I both know that he cares about you. Whatever he didn't say..I'm sure it was hard for him to keep it from you and I'm sure he only did it because he truly thought it was what was best for _you_."

He could see tears welling up in her eyes and he put an arm over her shoulders, "I know how hard it is when you feel like you've been lied to by the person you thought cared the most. Just try to think about why he did what he did."

As if on cue, the doors opened and Chris walked in, looking nervous. He had his hands in his pockets. He didn't seem to see Mark and Taylor standing to the side of the door.

"I asked him not to come tonight," Taylor said quietly.

"Well…looks like he's pretty determined to work things out," Mark said. "Just hear him out, and then get out everything you want to say. The only way either of you is gonna get past this is if you talk about it."

She nodded, smiling up at him, "Thank you Mark."

"Anytime," he patted her on the shoulder before he walked away.

* * *

Taylor took a deep breath as Chris finally spotted her. He walked over, hands up, "I know you told me not to come but-"

"It's okay," she shook her head. "We need to talk."

He looked relieved, looking toward an empty table in the corner. He looked at her for approval and she nodded, following him to the table.

They sat across from each other and she waited for him to speak.

"Taylor, I'm sorry," Chris said. "I know you're mad at me. I understand that. I just want you to understand why I didn't tell you the truth…The night I found you at your parents house…I was terrified. I thought I was gonna lose you. I thought that may have been it. You scared the hell out of me."

She felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to find me that way."

"Memories from the past made that happen," Chris explained. "I didn't tell you about Cory and Jessica because I didn't want anything to send you back there. You were in the hospital, you had a chance to get help, to get better. I couldn't take that away from you..from us."

"Us?"

He took her hand in his. "I wanna be with you. But we couldn't have that until you were better. And I understand that we may not be able to have that now because of what I did but…I just need you to know that I was trying to protect you. I _never _meant to hurt you."

Taylor hadn't thought for one second about why Chris didn't tell her. Not until she talked to Mark. And now, hearing Chris's reasoning, she felt a tremendous amount of guilt for the way she'd treated him. She was still upset that he didn't tell her…but she understood why. And hearing him say how he felt made her heart skip a beat whether she liked it or not.

"I understand," she nodded softly. "I hear what you're saying and it makes sense. I appreciate _everything _you've done for me. I wouldn't be sitting here if you hadn't found me."

He linked their fingers together.

"I can get past this," she continued. "Because you had good reason. But I'm better now. I feel better than I have in _years_. So from now on, you need to tell me everything. Good or bad, I don't care. You cannot keep things from me. I trust you. I trust you with my life. I need you to tell me the truth."

He nodded, squeezing her hand, "Okay."

She smiled at him through her tears, "Good."

* * *

Jessica and Hunter stood by laughing as William tried to find his keys in his pockets.

"This isn't funny," William said, his speech slightly slurred.

Jessica couldn't stop giggling. She'd had quite a few drinks. They all had. She was surprised at what a great time they'd had. She wondered if Hunter and William would have gotten along so well without all the alcohol. She hadn't seen Hunter as drunk as he was in quite some time. And she'd never seen William drunk but it was certainly entertaining.

"Check your coat pockets," Hunter suggested.

"Yesss," William slurred, pointing at Hunter. "Why didn't I think of that?"

William fumbled around in his coat pocket and finally pulled out his room key, holding it up like a trophy.

"Open the door stupid," Jessica laughed.

William gave her a hurt look and she smiled, reaching out and pinching his cheek.

He laughed, opening the door and stumbling inside. He turned around, smiling at Jessica, "You wanna come in? We can get some more drinks."

Jessica smiled, pushing William further into his room, "Maybe some other time cowboy. Go get some sleep. Drink some water."

"I'm gonna miss you," he smiled.

"I'll miss you too," she laughed. "Goodnight."

Jessica closed the door, shaking her head. She stumbled a little and Hunter caught her. She looped her arm through his as they walked back to the elevator. Their rooms were on the next floor up.

"I had so much fun tonight," Jessica said, resting her head on Hunter's shoulder.

"Me too," he said, mussing her hair as they exited the elevator.

They reached his door first and he leaned against his door, smiling at her.

"You're drunk," she laughed, pointing at him.

"So are you," he replied.

"I'm gonna go to my room now," she laughed.

He reached out, taking her hand, pulling her closer.

"Hunter…" she wasn't entirely sure what was happening

"Don't go," he said softly, running his fingers through her hair. Her skin tingled where he touched her. She stepped closer and he placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her in. Their lips met and Jessica felt herself melting into him. All thoughts of going to her own room left her mind as she fished for his room key in his pocket. She'd been waiting for this night for a long time.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26...**

Hunter awoke to a loud pounding in his head. His mouth was bone dry and it was unbelievably hot in his hotel room. He groaned, sitting up slowly, running a hand through his hair. His stomach felt like it was still full of alcohol. He heard a soft noise next to him and looked down, seeing long, slender leg draped over his. He looked at the pillow beside his and saw long ink black waves.

"Shit," he sat back against the headboard, rubbing his face. Jessica was sound asleep, her head turned away from him, toward the window.

Neither of them were clothed. What had transpired between them was obvious but Hunter could barely remember the events of the previous night. He remembered going to the bar. He remembered talking to William and Jessica. He remembered seeing Mark shooting looks between him and John and Cory. He vaguely recalled feeling a tinge of something like annoyance when John and Cory went to the bathroom together. The rest was fuzzy at best. He, Jessica, and William had hailed a cab. He saw brief flashes of them stumbling into the hotel. Then, he could see himself kissing Jessica, pulling her into his hotel room.

He'd made a huge mistake, that much was crystal clear. He was filled with regret as he looked down at Jessica, knowing that he had used her. He'd been frustrated over Cory and Jessica was there.

Jessica moaned, sitting up slowly, her blue eyes heavy lidded.

"Hey," she said, beginning to look like she felt as awkward as he did.

"Hey," he tried for a smile.

"So…" she laughed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "We should probably talk."

"You're right…we should," he nodded. "but…I have to run. Can we talk later?"

* * *

John awoke to the feeling of silk draping over his face. He smiled, wondering what Cory was up to until he felt something heavier drop onto his chest. He pulled the fabric off of his face and sat up to see Cory kneeling on the floor, pulling things out of one of her suitcases and tossing them around haphazardly.

"Baby," he laughed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," she laughed, seeing him surrounded by her clothes. "I'm trying to find something to wear today."

"Oh right, you're bait today," John nodded.

"Not bait," she made a face at him. "Just a _distraction_."

Sarah had explained that she was bringing Cory along to meet Michael's parents partially because of his weakness for pretty young women. Sarah called it 'disarming the subject. Distracting the person you're questioning so that they're guard is down and they give the most honest answers.

"Trust me, what you're wearing doesn't matter," he smiled. "You'll be a distraction. I just want to say again that I don't like this idea."

Cory smiled softly, sitting in bed beside him, "I know. I heard you the first time."

"Doesn't mean you're _listening_," he touched her chin.

"I am, I swear, I just…I had a dream last night that we found her," Cory said, her eyes bright. "This _nightmare_ was finally over. I feel like we're _so close_, you know?"

John pulled her into his arms, leaning back against the headboard. He understood what she was saying. He felt the same thing. But he couldn't bear the thought of how hurt she would be if this didn't work, if they didn't find Dawn.

"I love you," he kissed the top of her head. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up too high."

She took a deep breath, cuddling closer to him, "I cant help it. I feel like we're on the right track."

* * *

"Thanks so much, it's so awesome to meet you."

Matt smiled at the beaming adolescent in front of him as he signed his autograph. The kid had recognized him when he got off of the elevator and bounded up to him, breathlessly telling him that the Hardy's were his favorite tag team ever. Matt was more than happy to sign a t-shirt and take a few pictures with him.

He was finishing up when he heard the kid let out a low whistle. Matt's eyes followed his. The hotel's automatic doors opened and Lianna walked in. She looked different. He remembered her saying that she was getting a haircut that morning. Her normally wavy hair was straight and darker than before. She had blunt cut bangs now that made he green eyes seem brighter. She pulled off her wool coat and underneath, he could see that she was wearing a navy blue long sleeved dress, black leggings, and black heeled boots. She seemed to notice the two of them staring and smiled, waving.

"And I thought she was hot on TV," the fan marveled.

"She's…something," Matt nodded.

Lianna walked toward them and the kid's posture improved. He smiled, smoothing his hair before introducing himself to her. She smiled and gave him a quick hug when he told her what a big fan he was. He asked her to sign the same shirt Matt had and she did and then he asked a passing stranger to take a picture of all of them. Once the pictures were done and they talked for a few more minutes, the fan excused himself.

"Well he was nice," Lianna smiled, watching him walk away.

Matt found himself staring at her again. He'd made a point not to pay much attention to her body but he couldn't help but notice how good she looked in this particular outfit.

"Can I help you, Hardy?" she asked.

"Nice haircut," he tugged at a strand of hair.

Matt heard a familiar voice and saw Shelton Benjamin walking away from the elevators. He was on the phone but as he approached them, he slowed down, eyes lewdly scanning Lianna from head to toe.

"Hey," he smiled at her, seeming completely unaware of Matt's presence.

"Um, hi," Lianna waved before he walked away. She looked over at Matt, "What the hell was that?"

"No idea," Matt shook his head. "Do you have toilet paper on your shoe or something?"

She glared at him.

"Don't worry about it," Matt patted her shoulder. "He probably just noticed your haircut."

She gave him an incredulous look.

"Or he thinks you're hot," he shrugged. "God knows why."

"Maybe because I am," she flicked his ear with a manicured fingernail. "He's never looked at me like that before though."

Matt shrugged, "You look nice today. You know, for you."

* * *

Jeff walked to the door, assuming Matt would be the source of the light knocking he heard when he was getting out of the shower. He'd hastily pulled on a pair of boxers, leaving his towel over one of his shoulders.

"What are you doing here so early?" he asked, swinging the door open. To his surprise, Amy stood in front of him, smiling with a paper bag in one hand and a cup holder in the other. The smell of coffee immediately filled his nostrils.

"Hey," he said, confused.

"Morning," she smiled. "I brought coffee and egg sandwiches. I figured you and Viveca might need some something to put in your stomachs this morning. I know I do."

Jeff rested his hand on the doorjamb, "V's not here. She had a radio interview this morning."

He could have sworn he remembered Viveca mentioning that the night before.

"She did?" Amy looked genuinely confused. "I thought she said that was tomorrow morning."

"No, it was today," Jeff shook his head.

"Damn," she looked disappointed. She gave him a sheepish smile, "I've got extra food and coffee…Want some?"

Jeff shrugged. He _was _hungry.

"Sure, come on in," he said, waving her inside. She breezed past him and he grabbed a shirt out of the gym bag by the bathroom door.

"This should be fun," she plopped down on the couch. "We really need to catch up."

* * *

Taylor looked down at the photo album in front of her. She'd found it in Cory's living room. There were pictures of Cory and Jessica as children. Birthday parties, Christmas celebrations, Halloween. There was a great picture of the two of them on Easter. They seemed to be at a country club. There were lots of people around but Cory and Jessica were like shining beacons. Tall and beautiful. Jessica was in a pale yellow silk blouse and a white skirt with pastel green and yellow polka dots. Her dark curls shone in the sunlight, French braided and draped over her shoulder. Cory wore a sundress with a large, floral pastel print. Her light brown curls were held away from her face with blue ribbon headband. They were both holding up beautifully decorated eggs and smiling from ear to ear. They bright blue eyes sparkled like jewels. She pulled a picture out of the drawer next to her bed. It was one of the few pictures she had of herself as a child, a school picture that her mother kept. She was smiling in her picture as well but the smile was tense, forced. Her blonde waves were pulled tightly away from her face, her ponytail a mess of waves. She was wearing a t-shirt that looked pink but it had been red when her mother bought it. If memory served, when that picture was taken, there was a hole in the armpit but she'd had to wear it because her father had locked her out of her own bedroom that day. She placed it next to the picture of her sisters. Her eyes were the same shade of blue but they didn't sparkle the way theirs did. They were sad and cloudy. She could see a storm behind her eyes. She could see her father staring at her, screaming at her. They all had his eyes, the same shade of blue but Taylor hers were the only ones that had seen her father's rage, felt his fists. She was the only one who knew what he was like. And that couldn't change. She looked at their picture again, knowing that she could never take the light out of their eyes the way he did to her. They could never know the stock they came from.

She felt her Blackberry buzzing beside her and picked it up quickly, seeing that she had an email. She checked it quickly, surprised to find a rather terse email from an editor for Women's Health magazine. According to the email, Cory was supposed to have an interview that morning for the magazine and she didn't show up. Taylor frowned, shaking her head. That was not like Cory in the least. She took her professional reputation very seriously. Taylor assumed she had been copied on the email because when Jacinda was first hired, Taylor told her that she could use her as a secondary contact, someone that could be reached in case she couldn't.

Taylor closed the email and dialed Cory's number.

* * *

Cory shook her head as she hung up her phone. She was waiting outside of Sarah's building. Sarah wasn't quite ready to go yet. Cory was about to go upstairs and wait but she stopped when Taylor called. When Taylor told her about the email she'd received, Cory was livid. She couldn't believe Jacinda would schedule an interview and just forget to tell her about it. Without thinking, she dialed the other woman's number and pressed the phone to her ear. The call went straight to Jacinda's voicemail message, announcing herself as Cory's assistant. When Cory heard the beep, she started talking before she knew what she was going to say.

"Jacinda, it's Cory…You're fired. Your access to my accounts and information will be terminated immediately, and if you even _think_ of using me as a reference, I will bury your ass and make sure you never get another job in this field. I expect your copies of my credit cards to be returned either to me, my accountant, or Taylor by the end of the day tomorrow."

She hung up, knowing that if she continued, she would say some things that could hurt her friendship with Glenn. If she still had one after firing his wife. She'd asked Taylor to take care of cutting Jacinda out, stopping her access, and handling her scheduling for the time being. She knew it was a lot to put on the young woman but she also knew that Taylor could handle it.

Her phone rang and she picked up quickly, expecting her angry ex assistant.

Instead, she heard her sister's voice, "Hey there."

"Hey," Cory relaxed a little. "What's going on?"

"Kind of a lot," Jessica sighed. "You have a minute to talk."

"For you? Always," Cory leaned back against her seat. "What's on your mind?"

"Well…"

Jessica sounded hesitant and Cory sighed. Her sister wasn't always good at getting to the point, "Rip it off like a band aid Jessie."

"I had sex with Hunter last night," Jessica blurted.

"You what now?" Cory felt her eyes go wide. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting but it definitely wasn't that.

"Last night after we left the bar we dropped William off at his room. We were all hammered and when we got to his door, he kissed me. One thing led to another and…well, I'm sure I don't have to explain the birds and the bees to you."

"Wow," Cory didn't really know what to say. "What happened to you and William?"

"I left that bar intending to tell William I would go on a date with him," Jessica insisted. "And then Hunter kissed me and all rational thought was gone. I don't know what to do. We haven't even talked about it. He had to leave right away this morning."

"Jess, you know I love you and I support whatever you do but…I'm not sure you and Hunter is a good idea. Things are so complicated and back and forth with you guys. With William, things are clear. I thought you were going to try for something different."

"I thought so too," Jessica insisted. "Believe me, this caught me completely off guard. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Talk to Hunter," Cory answered. "You need to know how he feels."

Jessica laughed, "I don't even know how _I_ feel."

Cory smirked, "Then you should probably figure that out too."

"I know, I know," Jessica said. "I think I'm gonna try to call him. I'll call you back."

"Okay, talk to you later."

Just as Cory was getting off the phone, Sarah came rushing toward the car, apologetic smile on her face.

"I'm so sorry," Sarah said as she opened the door. "You okay? You look stressed."

"It's been a weird couple of minutes.," Cory shrugged. "Ready to do this?"

Sarah smiled hopefully, "Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

Viveca smiled when she saw Jeff's rental car. He was coming to pick her up but since her interview had run late, she texted him to tell him to come about an hour later. She couldn't wait to see him. It had been a rather annoying experience, nothing but questions about what size bra she wore and what color panties she was wearing. She wanted nothing more than to see her perfect, handsome, gentlemanly husband. When the car stopped in front of her, she was surprised to see Amy in the passenger seat. She smiled, getting out and holding the door open for Viveca. Viveca hesitated for a second but got into the car as Amy got in behind her. She looked over at Jeff who shrugged, "I didn't think you'd mind."

"I forgot you were coming here this morning," Amy explained. "I showed up at your room with breakfast and ended up bugging Jeff for a while. I figured I'd just come along for the ride."

Viveca nodded slowly, unsure of what to think. Amy seemed sincere and Jeff didn't look uncomfortable. He was pretty much incapable of lying to her so she decided to let it go. She was going to give Amy the benefit of the doubt.

* * *

6 P.M.

"Oh my God," Sheila Farisse gasped when she opened the door.

Sarah smiled as the older woman hugged her tightly.

"Sarah, we haven't seen you in so long," she squeezed her.

"Hi Mrs. Farisse," Sarah smiled, as Sheila let her go. "Oh, this is my friend Cory Samms. Cory, this is Sheila Farisse."

"Please, call me Sheila. Nice to meet you Ms. Samms," Sheila smiled. She turned, "Gary! Gary honey you'll never believe who's at the door!"

Sheila took Sarah's hands and led her into the house and Cory followed. Sarah looked up as Michael's father walked into the foyer. He stopped when he saw them.

"My God…Sarah Chadwick," Gary smiled, holding his arms open. Sarah walked over and he hugged her tightly. "What on Earth are you doing here?"

"I hadn't seen you in so long," Sarah said. "I felt horrible that I wasn't here after Michael..."

"We understand," Gary assured her. "You're here now..that's what matters…Who's your friend?"

"This is Cory," Sarah explained as Cory smiled and shook Gary's hand.

"It's very nice to meet you," Cory flashed a winning smile and Sarah could see quickly that she had Gary wrapped around her finger. That was exactly why she'd brought her.

"Well come on in you two," Sheila said. "We were just sitting down to coffee. We have a neighbor over."

They walked into the living room and a woman that Sarah vaguely recognized stood as they entered.

"Janet Wood," Sheila said. "This is Cory Samms and a very old friend, Sarah Chadwick."

"Nice to meet you," both young women smiled.

"Hello," Janet said cheerfully, shaking each of their hands.

"We're going to get the coffee," Sheila took Gary's hand. "Make yourselves comfortable, and when we get back we'll catch up."

Cory sat on the couch and Sarah looked around the room. She hadn't been in this house in years but it was almost exactly as she remembered it. She walked around, looking at all the books lining the walls. Something on the mantel caught her eye and she walked over. There were three pictures of Michael and one of Sheila and Gary together. Then, her eyes stopped on the picture on the center of the mantel. She recognized Michael sitting, holding the Farisse's dog, Sam. Next to him stood a beautiful blonde with a bright smile on her face. Sarah had seen her somewhere before. She racked her brain and then it hit her…She was the same blonde from the picture she found in Stephen's basement.

* * *

"And you believe that?" Lianna turned away from the mirror to look at her sister. She was finished putting in her earring and placed her hands on her hips. "Really?"

"Yes, Li, really," Viveca laughed, looking through the clothes in Lianna's suitcase. "Jeff said she showed up with three cups of coffee, three sandwiches. We were all drinking when I told her about the interview. She forgot. Why would she lie about it?"

"Because she wants to bone your husband," Lianna stared. "You cant possibly not see that. Where is my impossibly nosy distrusting sister?"

"Right here," Viveca laughed, handing Lianna a red dress.

Lianna shook her head, handing it back to her, "If I wear that, he's gonna think we're having sex."

"You're _not_?" Viveca asked. "_Still_?"

"Didn't we _just_ talk about this?" Lianna laughed.

"I wasn't sure if you were serious," Viveca admitted, handing her a short, white dress. "There. It's virginal."

Lianna rolled her eyes but put the dress on anyway. It was one of her favorites and it looked great on her.

"Anyway, you need to stop being so suspicious," Viveca advised. "Focus on the good things in people, not the bad."

There was a knock at the door and Viveca walked over to open it. Dave was there with a bouquet of yellow roses.

He smiled at her and she smiled back. Maybe her sister was right. She needed to focus on good things for a little while.

* * *

"Sarah are you okay?" Cory whispered quietly, pretending to drink the coffee Sheila had given her. She hated coffee but she hadn't wanted to refuse when Mrs. Farisse offered her a cup.

"See that picture over there," Sarah nodded toward the mantel.

Cory looked in that direction, "I see lots of pictures."

"The one in the middle," Sarah whispered.

"Okay, I see it," Cory nodded, pretending to drink more coffee.

"I found a picture in the box of Michael's things with the same blonde woman in it," Sarah explained. "But I don't know who it is…whoever she is I'm assuming she's part of the family but I just cant figure out who she is."

"So ask," Cory suggested.

"It's gonna seem a little odd if I don't know," Sarah whispered.

"Okay fine, I'll ask," Cory put her cup down.

"Be subtle," Sarah advised.

"I will," Cory assured her.

Sheila and Gary walked back into the room with more coffee and Cory walked over to the mantel.

"Is this your daughter?" she asked, picking up the picture. "She's _beautiful_."

"Yes it is," Gary smiled. "That's Michelle."

"Michelle?" Cory repeated.

"Yup," Gary nodded. Sarah looked in the corner behind her and noticed three trophies on a stand. They were for excellence in gymnastics and they were all awarded to _Michelle Savannah Farisse_.

_Later that night…_

"We miss Michael so much," Sheila said. "It's like we've lost both of our children now."

"Both?" Cory looked up from her coffee.

"Michelle's been away," Gary sighed. "She hasn't spoken to us in years."

There was a long, awkward silence and then Gary stood, "Does anybody want more coffee?"

"I do," Ms. Wood smiled.

"I'll take some," Sarah said.

"None for me, thanks," Cory held up her hands, shaking her head.

Sheila and Gary left the room and Janet walked over to sit in a chair closer to the couch Cory and Sarah were sitting on.

"You know I _despise _a gossip," Janet said, finishing the last of her coffee.

"Me too," Sarah laughed and Cory slapped her in the arm.

"Do you know why Michelle left?" Janet asked eagerly.

"No. Michael never discussed it," Sarah shook her head. "What happened?"

For someone who 'despised a gossip', Janet sure didn't hesitate to spill, "Well, before Michelle was born, Gary and Sheila's marriage was…_rocky_."

"Rocky?" Cory raised an eyebrow.

"There were all kinds of rumors," Janet said. "But the biggest one, and the most true, was that Sheila was cheating on poor Gary with a baseball player..Sam something…Anyway, when Sheila got pregnant, no one believed the baby was Gary's. Eventually San got traded and Gary and Sheila patched things up. But as Michelle got older, she started wondering why she didn't look like either of her parents. She didn't look a thing like Michael…One day, she heard Sheila and Gary talking and pretty much figured out the whole story..Poor thing was _devastated_. After a while, Michelle finally got Gary to agree to do a paternity test since she wanted to know so badly…Turns out poor Gary wasn't her father. Michelle was crushed. Packed up and left a few days later."

"Sorry the coffee took so long," Sheila said as she and Gary walked back into the room. "Gary's mom called."

"No problem," Cory said. "We were just…making conversation."

* * *

Jessica ran a hand through her hair and walked to the door, taking a deep breath before she opened it. Hunter had called, asking if he could come by so they could talk.

She opened the door and he smiled at her, looking tired.

"How are you?"

"Good," he nodded. "You?"

"Okay," she shrugged, waving him inside. "Feeling a little..awkward."

"Same here," he admitted, following her to the couch.

Her phone rang and she picked it up, feeling guilt tug at her when she saw William's number. He'd called a few times that day and she hadn't been able to bring herself to answer. Not until after she talked to Hunter. She'd been trying to figure out how she felt all day. She thought she was getting over Hunter. She was certain that he was over her. William was great. Handsome, smart, funny. She liked him and he liked her back. Falling into bed with Hunter was the last thing she expected to happen but it had been amazing. She felt as if she'd been pulled to him like a magnet. They'd fit together perfectly. She wasn't sure if she could have that with William.

"I'm sorry I had to run this morning," he apologized. "I had a-"

"It's okay," she cut him off. "Don't worry about it."

"Listen, I just wanted to say about last night," he sighed. "I think we both know that what happened.._shouldn't _have happened. It was my fault and I'm sorry."

Jessica felt her breath catch in her throat. She felt herself nodding but didn't say anything. She felt like a little girl who'd given her crush a candy heart and he threw it back at her.

"Jessica?" he said, seeming nervous that she hadn't spoken.

"Yeah," she smiled. "You're right. We made a huge mistake. Honestly, I barely even remember it."

"Me too," he looked relieved. "I haven't had that much to drink in a long time."

"Same here," she laughed, unable to meet his eyes.

He reached over, placing her hand over his, "I hope I didn't mess things up too bad for you and William."

"We're still uh..figuring things out but..no worries. You didn't mess it up," she assured him, squeezing his hand.

"Good," Hunter smiled. "He's a good guy. I can tell you really like him."

Jessica nodded, amazed that he could see her feelings for William but he couldn't see what she was feeling at that moment. He couldn't see how much he'd just hurt her.

"You know, I've gotta get dressed. I'm meeting a friend for dinner," she lied.

"Oh, sorry," he stood up. "I'll get out of your way."

"I'll see you tomorrow," she smiled weakly, walking over to the door and holding it open for him.

"I'm really glad we're okay," he smiled, touching her shoulder.

She smiled back, "Me too."

* * *

Sarah waved one last time as she, Cory, and Ms. Wood walked out of the house. The couple had made her promise to come back soon.

"Oh!" Janet exclaimed before she got into her car. "I remember that baseball player's last name!"

"Woohoo," Cory mumbled unlocking the door to her car and sliding into the driver's seat.

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

"_Holbrook_," Janet said. "His name was _Sam Holbrook_."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27...**

Jessica was looking at the TV but she didn't even know what was on. She'd been sitting on the couch since Hunter left, trying her best not to cry. She couldn't believe she'd been so wrong about what happened between her and Hunter. She woke up that morning thinking that they had been pulled together by this undeniable magnetism and he told her it was a mistake.

She'd felt tears threatening to come but they weren't falling yet.

"Knock, knock."

She heard a familiar voice at her door accompanied by a light tapping.

She got up, walking over to the door, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. When she opened the door, she saw William standing in front of her with a large paper bag and a bottle of wine. The scent of chicken egg foo young filled her nose and she couldn't keep the smile from spreading across her face. When she looked at his face, she was surprised to see his black frames.

"You're wearing your glasses," she smiled.

He shrugged, smiling sheepishly, "My eyes were tired."

"I assume that's for me," she pointed to the bag.

"Not all of it," he smirked. "But some, if you don't have dinner plans."

"I don't," she stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. He did, walking over to the couch and setting the food up on the table. Jessica watched him, wondering what the hell she'd been thinking the night before. She thought about the relieved look on Hunter's face when she told him they were okay. He was happy that she didn't want to be with him. William wanted to be with her.

She rubbed her hands over her face, trying to figure out when she'd gotten so messed up. Why was she still hung up on Hunter?

"You coming?" he smiled at her.

She walked over, plopping down beside him, watching his hands as he made her a plate.

"Thank you William," she said, putting a hand on his arm. "Really."

He put her plate down and looked over at her, concern touching his handsome features, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," she admitted, picking up her food. "It's just been a weird day."

"Well what can I do to make it better?" he asked, brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face.

She shrugged, "I'm not sure. This is a good start though."

"Good," he smiled. "So…have you thought about what I asked you yet?"

It couldn't be fair to go on a date with him when she was obviously still caught up with Hunter.

She sighed, "Yeah, I have…I just don't have an answer yet."

* * *

Savannah pulled Stephen's car into the parking lot of the gas station. Cory's car was parked at one of the pumps and she and the other bitch were inside. She thought back to the message Cory had left her earlier that day. She couldn't believe the spoiled little wench had the nerve to fire her. That made what she had to do that much easier.

She couldn't believe they had gone to her parents. If Savannah knew Sheila and Gary, they'd told Cory and Sarah whatever they wanted to know.

"Some people really need to learn to mind their own business," she shook her head, getting out of the car.

She looked around; making sure no one was watching her. Smiling to herself, she pulled out her pocketknife and knelt beside Cory's car. She made a small slit in one of the tires and then stood quickly, looking around once again. They had a long drive back to Cory's apartment and by the time they got halfway there the tire would be flat. She walked back to her car and slid in, slamming the door. She turned her music up, preparing to follow them.

* * *

Mark walked into his room, dropping his gym bag on the floor. He had just worked out for two hours and it was definitely in need of a long, hot shower. He walked into the bathroom flipping on the shower. He heard his phone start ringing in the other room and rolled his eyes, making a mental note to punish Cory for making him turn the ringer up.

He walked out of the bathroom, picking it up and plopping down onto the couch, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"I knew I shouldn't have answered the phone," Mark laughed when he heard Glenn's voice.

"Listen, I can't talk too long but…I need you to talk to Cory."

"Talk to her about what?" Mark frowned.

"She fired Jacinda," Glenn sounded angry. "Called her up and left her a message threatening to ruin her career."

Mark shook his head even though he knew Glenn couldn't see it, "What are you talking about?"

"That's what she said," Glenn said. "What the hell is wrong with her?"

"Calm down," Mark said, feeling defensive. "Cory doesn't do things for no reason."

"You sure about that?"

"Glenn, you're mad because your wife lost your job and I get that," Mark said. "But you need to bring it down some. I'll talk to Cory, find out what happened. There's gotta be something going on."

"There is," Glenn insisted. "Cory's acting out like a little kid. Just talk to her and call me back."

Glenn hung up and Mark pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at it. He didn't know what the hell had gotten into Glenn or Cory but he meant what he said to Glenn. If Cory would up and fire Jacinda, something big had to have happened.

* * *

"Something wrong?" Sarah asked as Cory drove. She seemed to keep looking back.

"I think one of the tires is messed up," Cory answered. "I'm gonna pull over and check it."

"Okay."

Cory pulled onto the shoulder and turned the car off.

Sarah felt an uneasy tinge in her stomach as they both got out of the car. Something just didn't feel right.

"Flat?" she asked, seeing Cory kneeling next to the car.

"Oh yeah," Cory nodded, standing up and brushing off her knees. She looked annoyed, "John took the car to get new tires like a week ago. I must have driven over something."

"Do you have a spare?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah but no jack. I took it out a couple days ago when I was driving something else," Cory answered, pulling her coat out of the car and holding it against her.

"I'll call Owen, he'll come get us," Sarah said. "It shouldn't take too long."

"You think he's home?" Cory asked.

"If he's not at home he's at work," Sarah pulled out her phone. "He's nothing if not predictable."

* * *

Owen put Joe's food in his bowl and then walked into the living room. He heard his answering machine and remembered he had forgotten to turn his cell phone's ringer back on.

"Owen. It's me Sarah."

"Sarah?" he picked up quickly.

"It's about damn time," Sarah laughed. "You busy?"

"No," he sat down on the couch. "What'd you find out at the Farisse's?"

"I'll tell you on one condition," Sarah said.

"And that is…?"

"Cory's got a flat and we need you to come pick us up," Sarah explained.

"Okay," Owen said, walking into his bedroom to get changed, "Where are you?"

* * *

"Well that was fun," Lianna smiled as Dave walked her to her door. They'd gone to a very nice dinner and a movie afterward. Dave had been the perfect gentleman. Lianna was thoroughly impressed.

"It was," he smiled, leaning against her door. He took her hand in his, pulling her close to him. "You know. It doesn't have to end here."

He leaned down, softly taking her lips with his. As the kiss deepened, she felt his hand run through her hair and rest at the side of her neck. His other hand was on the small of her back, pulling her against him. She could feel very clearly how much he was enjoying the kiss. She was enjoying it too but the moment still didn't feel right. She managed to peel herself away from him slowly and smiled up at him, "Dave. I could invite you in but…nothing would happen, not tonight. Is that okay with you?"

"It's okay with me," he smiled at her. "But I can't come in. I can't control myself alone with you."

She felt her cheeks get hot and she leaned against the door, "Then I guess this is where I leave you."

"Hopefully not for much longer."

"We'll see."

* * *

Dawn rested her forehead against the toilet seat, letting the porcelain cool her skin. She was sweating profusely, her throat raw from vomiting. Whatever Savannah was giving her had irreparably damaged her stomach. It seemed that lately she spent so much time throwing up; she would surely die from it. Tears fell from her eyes as she leaned back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling.

She couldn't understand why she was still there, why Savannah had kept her alive. Savannah talked about killing her, talked about how much better the world would be when Dawn was gone but she just kept her there. She pumped her with drugs and fed her, had that man spend most of his time there…For what? Why wouldn't Savannah either kill her or let her go?

She looked out into the bedroom that was her prison. She crawled out of the bathroom and pulled herself up onto the bed. Her legs were beginning to feel stronger but it was still hard for her to walk. She couldn't figure out why Stephen was helping her but she wasn't sure she would be ready for whatever opportunity might come. She looked around the room, her vision blurred. She was beginning to feel certain that this room was where she would die.

* * *

"How far does Owen live again?" Cory asked.

"He should be here any minute," Sarah laughed, huddling into her coat. "If he isn't…we can kill him when he gets here."

Cory smiled, "Sounds like a plan."

"I'm gonna call John again," Cory pulled her phone out of her pocket. She held it up, frowning when she saw that she had no signal. "I'm gonna walk a little bit."

"I'll walk with you," Sarah said. "You shouldn't walk around so close to these woods alone."

"Okay," Cory pressed a button on her key ring locking the car doors. They walked until Cory finally had a few bars and then stopped. She dialed John's number, waiting as the phone rang. They heard the sound of burning rubber and Sarah gave her a look.

"Somebody's in a hurry," the blonde smirked.

"Yeah well they better not hit my…"

Cory dropped her phone when she saw the source of the sound. There was a dark SUV careening toward her BMW.

"Son of a _bitch_," Cory started to run but Sarah grabbed her, holding her back.

The car slammed into hers and both women jumped. The driver's side of Cory's car caved from the impact. Sarah wasn't sure why but she still held Cory's arm, not letting her move toward the car. The SUV's door opened and someone dressed in black, wearing a baseball cap got out of the car.

"What the hell?" Cory said quietly.

The driver looked into the car and then kicked it angrily. He just kept kicking and kicking until he seemed to hurt his foot. Then, he stumbled back.

Sarah bent down to pick up Cory's phone.

"Sarah…" Cory's voice was shaky.

She stood back up and quickly realized why the other woman sounded so nervous. The driver was facing them, a ski mask covering his face. They were easy targets, illuminated by Cory's one remaining headlight. The driver quickly got back into the SUV. The truck backed up a few feet from Cory's BMW and then started toward them.

"_Run_!" Sarah ordered.

Cory took off and Sarah was close behind her. Sarah knew that the truck couldn't follow them into the woods. The trees were way too close together. Sarah was trying to keep up with Cory but after a minute or so it became pretty difficult. She wasn't the athlete Cory was. She hadn't run this fast in ages. She felt her foot smack into a raised root and couldn't find anything to grab onto to keep herself from falling. Pain shot through her ankle and her shoulder as she hit the ground. She cried out and heard Cory stop running.

"Sarah?" she whispered.

"I tripped," Sarah tried unsuccessfully to sit up.

Cory ran back, kneeling beside her, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Sarah admitted. "I hurt my foot…and my shoulder."

"Okay, come on," Cory stood up. "Which arm is your good one?"

Sarah raised her right arm and Cory took her hand, draping her arm over her shoulders. She put an arm around Sarah's waist and pulled her up.

"Can you put any weight on your ankle?" Cory asked.

"I can try," Sarah winced, putting her foot down. She limped while Cory carried most of her weight.

"If we go this way, we can make it back to the gas station," Cory turned right.

"Sarah!"

* * *

Owen rounded the curve to where Sarah told him she and Cory were parked. When he spotted Cory's silver BMW, his eyes went wide. The car was nearly totaled. He slammed on his brakes, parking his car and getting out, not even bothering to close his door. He rushed to the car but when he looked inside there was no one there. Down the road, he could see a small light on the ground. He ran over, seeing a cell phone on the ground. It wasn't Sarah's blackberry so he assumed it was Cory's. There were 14 missed calls. He found an application for a flashlight, turning it on the ground. The girls must have run. He needed to know where.

He saw footprints heading into the woods, three different sets.

"Shit!" he took off, running in the direction of the footsteps.

"Sarah!" he yelled as loud as he could. "Cory!"

"_SARAH_!" he yelled, shining the flashlight on the ground again. One of the sets of footsteps hand stopped.

"_SARAH_! _CORY_!" he yelled. "It's Owen!"

"We're here!" he heard Cory's voice nearby.

"Keep yelling!" he yelled. "I can't see you!"

The two women yelled a few times and after what felt like an eternity, he was able to find them.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Cory said quickly. "She's hurt."

Sarah's arm was around Cory's shoulders and she didn't seem to be able to put pressure on her right ankle.

"Someone was chasing us," Sarah explained. "There was a truck, it hit Cory's car."

"There wasn't anything when I got here," Owen said. "There was no one there."

* * *

_Later that night…_

"She's right back here," the nurse showed walked John through a set of double doors. He saw Owen and Sarah. Sarah's arm was in a sling and a doctor was looking at her ankle.

Sarah spotted him and pointed, "Two curtains down."

He followed Sarah's direction and found his girlfriend sitting on the edge of a bed. She had a few scratches on her face and arms. She looked up, smiling when she saw him, "I told you, you didn't have to come."

John enveloped her in a hug, running his hand over her hair, "Baby, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she nodded. "Really, I'm okay."

"Owen told me what happened," he rested his chin on top of her head. "Did the cops get here yet?"

She nodded, "They already took our statements."

"Do they have any idea-"

"No," she shook her head. "All we could see was that it was a black Lincoln Navigator. We didn't get a look at the license plate and the driver was wearing a mask."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he kissed the top of her head.

"Guys.."

They turned and Owen was standing there looking anxious.

"Hey, how's our girl?" Cory asked.

"Separated shoulder and a grade 2 ankle sprain. She's in a sling and they're putting a boot on her. She is not pleased. The doctor said she's free to go once they're done with the boot."

"I already got the all clear," she said. "I'm gonna go make sure she's not yelling at anyone."

Cory excused herself and John looked over at Owen. The other man looked exhausted.

"You have one _stubborn _girlfriend," Owen smirked. "She put up a good fight about having a doctor look at her."

"Yeah she's like that," John rubbed the back of his head. "So what the hell happened? I just took her car in for new tires."

"I know, she told me," Owen sighed. "I didn't want to tell you before you got here but…the cops said that one of the tires was cut. A small, neat horizontal slit. That doesn't happen when you drive over something."

John felt his blood beginning to boil, his shoulders tensed.

"I've been thinking ever since they said it…You, Mark, Yvonne, and I are the only people who knew where they were going today. Someone had to have been following one of them all day. And whoever it was cut the tire that way to make sure it went flat when they were in the middle of nowhere. Where they couldn't get to help."

"This is crazy," John shook his head.

"Did Cory tell you about the diary we found?" Owen asked.

John nodded. Cory had put Sarah on speakerphone when she called to tell her about the diary.

"I think the woman who wrote that, is the woman who did this," Owen said. "The same woman who killed Michael Farisse and abducted your friend."

"But we have no idea who that is?" John asked.

"We have ideas but..nothing solid yet," Owen sighed. "I'm gonna stay with Sarah tonight. Make sure she's safe."

"I don't plan on letting Cory out of my sight," John looked in the direction she'd gone. She was walking their way with Sarah, who seemed to be struggling with her crutches and the big black boot on her ankle.

"We need to find this crazy bitch and we need to find her soon," John gave Owen a stern look.

Owen nodded, "I know."

* * *

_2 Hours Later…_

Sarah closed her eyes and tried to relax. The doctors had given her painkillers and, though they'd managed to give her a bit of a buzz, they hadn't taken care of much of the pain. Her shoulder was on fire. Her ankle felt like it was hanging by a thread. Owen had placed a pillow under her ankle and rested ice on top of it. The doctors said she could only take the boot off to ice it. They even gave her a different version to wear while she was sleeping. She'd never had an ankle sprain treated so seriously. She'd also never sprained her ankle on a tree root running from a masked man. At least she assumed at the time that it was a man. She laid her head back against the arm of the couch, flipping through the TV channels. Owen was in her bedroom, changing the sheets for her. She'd meant to do it the day before and she figured since he seemed intent on waiting on her hand and foot, she might as well put him to work. She picked up her notebook, deciding to log everything that had happened after they left That was when it hit her like a ton of bricks. She didn't tell Owen what they learned.

She picked up her crutches, moving as quickly as she could toward her bedroom.

"Owen!" she yelled. "Owen!"

"What's wrong?" he came racing out of the bedroom. "What happened?"

"Michael's sister did it," Sarah interrupted. "She killed him."

* * *

John took Cory's purse from her, putting it on the chair near her bed.

"Come on baby, time for bed."

She laughed, "You know I'm not a baby, right?"

He sat down on the edge of the bed, kicking off his shoes, not terribly amused with her joke. She pulled a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of a basket of clean laundry next to the bed and started taking off her clothes.

"You know, you don't have to go through with lunch with my parents tomorrow," he told her, pulling his shirt off.

"Sure I do," she insisted, crawling into the bed. "I want to."

"I know but after tonight-"

"Baby, nothing we can do will change what happened tonight," she said, pulling him into bed with her. He was tenser than she could ever remember seeing him. He sat with his back against the headboard and she rested her head on his chest. He relaxed a little, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head.

"I don't know what I would do if something had happened to you," he squeezed her tightly.

"You don't have to worry about it," she pulled away, looking into his eyes. "Nothing is gonna happen to me. I promise."

* * *

"The reason I didn't remember her is because I never met her," Sarah explained. "She left the house before Michael and I were all that close. I remember Michael talking about her but I never did actually _see _her….Anyway, her name's Michelle but her middle name is _Savannah_."

"So her middle name's Savannah?" Owen walked back into the room. "It still doesn't give us much to go on."

"Get _this_…She moved out when she was 18 because she found out that Gary wasn't really her father…Her real father's name is Sam _Holbrook_…Ringing a bell?"

"Savannah Holbrook," Owen shook his head. "Son of a bitch."

"Exactly," Sarah smiled. "Think about it. It makes _perfect_ sense with everything we know so far…The diary, the magazines, the women's items in 'Michael's' apartment. We figured that Michael may not have lived there…who else would he let use his name? And from Savannah's perspective…She doesn't want anyone knowing where she is so she gets her brother to let her put an apartment in his name. He comes in, figures out that she's crazy and she kills him…from what Mark told us this woman was obviously unstable."

"So what made her snap?" Owen asked. "There's no way she could have known that Dawn was pregnant. Cory and her mother were the only people she told."

"She obviously had some serious issues with Dawn. Who knows? She could have been following her. You see a woman walk into an OB/GYN's office, it's not a big leap to assume she's pregnant."

"So we have the reason she did it," Owen paced. "How the hell do we find her?"

**Well folks...things are coming together. What do we think?**


	28. Chapter 28

**This chapter contains some violence that is a little more on the disturbing side in my opinion so...you've been warned. Remember, Read, Enjoy, & _Review_! I'll try to have another chapter up this week**.

**Chapter 28…**

_The Next Day…_

"So, explain to me why _I'm_ here with you and not Jessica," Adam said, walking around the huge empty living room. He and William were walking through a large Boston duplex. The first of four properties they were supposed to look at before they had to be at the arena. William's friend and realtor was on a phone call outside in his car.

"You're here because you're my friend," William said, opening and closing a window.

Adam laughed; he knew that much was true. After bumping into each other at a hotel bar, they'd become pretty good friends. He also knew that he wasn't William's first choice for assistance in house hunting.

"You're full of shit," he pointed at his friend.

"At times," William shrugged. "Jessica's been weird lately. I thought things were going well and now..I don't know."

"Please stop looking so sad," Adam smirked. "It depresses me."

"Hey, how's your love life going buddy?" William asked.

"Touché," Adam clapped his hands lightly.

"You think Jessie's weirdness has anything to do with Hunter?" Adam asked.

William rolled his eyes, "That would be my guess. You know, I'm starting to think I'm fighting a losing battle here."

"When people are good together, things work themselves out," Adam patted his shoulder. "Some couples are just meant to be. Your sister and Jeff for example."

William laughed, "You can't possibly mean that."

"I can and I do," Adam insisted. He completely understood why William would think the way he did. His previous actions didn't exactly support his statement.

"Look, there was a time when it was pretty obvious that Viveca wanted to be with me, not Jeff," Adam explained. "We were friends first, really close. I started to see that she wanted more but..there was Jeff. He was one of my best friends and he had this schoolboy crush on her. Viveca wanted to have a talk with me. Dawn gave me a heads up that it might be a relationship talk…I pushed her away. I kept avoiding her, pushing her to give Jeff a chance. There was no way I could date her when he felt the way he did about her."

"I never knew that," William said, surprised. "All I ever heard was that you kissed her and then you lied to break them up."

Adam nodded, "I got selfish. I didn't realize how much I wanted Viveca until Jeff had her. It was a blow to my ego when I realized she didn't want me anymore. I was an ass. If I could take back what I did, I would in a heartbeat to get my friends back."

"You mean I'm not enough for you?" William smirked, opening his arms.

Adam laughed, holding him at arms length.

"Seriously, why don't you try talking to them?" William asked. "It's been a long time. They're married now. Maybe enough time has passed to let bygones be bygones."

Adam shook his head, "I don't know if that's true."

"Well I think you should try," William said. He looked around the empty space, "Now enough of the pity party…You think I could throw a good party in this place?"

* * *

"I told you I can carry them myself," Cory said as John dropped her bags at his door and pulled his keys out of his pocket.

"And I told you no," John smiled at her, unlocking the door. His phone rang and he pulled it out, answering it quickly. He pushed the door open and gestured for her to go inside. She reached for one of the bags but he pushed her hand away, waving her inside. John had moved since the last time they were in Boston and Cory hadn't actually been to his new place yet. It was huge condo, decorated exactly how it should be for him. All the furniture was big and comfy looking. There were frame posters of events in sports history on the walls and as she walked toward the kitchen, she saw one of the largest refrigerators she'd ever seen. She opened it, pulling out a bottle of water.

"Sorry baby, that was my dad," John walked in, tossing his phone and keys in a bowl on the marble island in the middle of the kitchen.

"No problem, I was just looking around," she smiled, sitting on the island.

"You like it?" he asked, smiling proudly.

"I love it, it's amazing," she nodded. "Is this a restaurant fridge?"

"Yes ma'am," he nodded, opening it and getting out his own water.

"You are ridiculous," she shook her head.

"You love it," he laughed, standing in front of her.

She could see through his smile that he was tired. She knew he hadn't slept much, if at all, the night before. The few times she woke up for a glass of water or to go to the bathroom, he was wide awake, holding her protectively. It was a huge comfort to her after what happened in the woods but she felt guilty that he'd been so restless.

"Why you looking at me like that?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

"Because I love you," she said, touching the sides of his face. She kissed him softly and then looked into his eyes, "You know I'm okay, right?"

"I know," he said, though he didn't look completely convinced. "You just have to let me worry. It's not gonna go away. Not after what happened."

She put her arms around his neck and he moved even closer. He kissed her, softly at first, then with increasing intensity. His hands found her hair and hers slid under his shirt. She felt all of his tension, his worry, his fear, his love for her. All of his emotions flowed through him and into her. She pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto the floor. He pulled hers over her head and threw it behind him. He started working on unclasping her bra as she pulled his zipper down.

"Johnny!"

Cory's eyes snapped open and John jumped away from her. Much to Cory's horror, John's mother and father walked around the corner and into the kitchen, stopping short when they saw them.

"Ma…Dad," John stammered. Cory hopped down off of the island, using one arm to feebly try and cover herself as she looked around for her shirt. She found it, turning her back and pulling it on quickly.

When she turned around, she was relieved to see John Sr. laughing. His wife looked decidedly less amused.

"We told you we were only a few minutes away," she glared at John.

"I uh…kinda forgot," John laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Mom, you remember Cory don't you?"

* * *

Savannah paced back and forth, raking her hands through her hair. She had a massive headache from grinding her teeth. She'd bitten her nails down to the quick. She couldn't believe she'd let those stupid little _bitches_ get away from her. She'd had them right where she wanted them and then she got tired. She couldn't run after them anymore. And they got away.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she said through clenched teeth, slamming her fists into the sides of her head. "Stupid, stupid."

She was so angry she felt as if fire flowed through her veins instead of blood. Her face was hot, her breathing ragged and raw. She picked up her phone, the object nearest to her, and launched it across the room. Two picture frames went crashing to the floor and she walked over, picking one of them up, not paying any attention to the shards of broken glass around it.

Someone needed to pay for this. Someone had to suffer. She turned the picture frame over, finding herself staring at a picture of her family. She'd already crossed out Michael's face after his death. She'd crossed her own face out long before that. Only two faces remained in the photo. The faces of her parents, the people who betrayed her. She took a slow, deep breath and dropped the frame on the floor again. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

Taylor lugged her laptop and suitcases into the arena, making her way to the dressing rooms. She and Mark were flying out to New York immediately after the show. He had an appearance very early the next morning.

"Hey Taylor," one of the productions came over to her as she entered the gorilla bustling backstage area. The crew was beginning to get everything set up for that night's show.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Someone left this for you," he handed her a manila envelope with her name written in sloppy cursive.

"Do you know who it's from?" she asked.

"Sorry, no," he shook his head. "Someone just handed it to me a few minutes ago and said to give it to you when you get here. I gotta run, I'll see you later."

She waved as he left and then looked down at the envelope. She didn't recognize the handwriting and a nervous feeling crept up the back of her neck but she shook it off, taking a deep breath. It was just an envelope. It couldn't be anything that bad. She found the women's dressing area and dropped her bags, plopping down on a chair and opening the envelope carefully.

_Taylor,_

_ Cory requested that I return these items to you. Enclosed are my copies of her credit cards, any keys she has given me, and the cell phone she provided me with._

_Jacinda Jacobs_

Taylor looked through the envelope, making sure everything Cory told her Jacinda should be returning was indeed there. All the cards and keys were accounted for and she hadn't even expected the phone. She put the items in her laptop bag and grabbed her own keys. She was going to go to a nearby restaurant and grab some food while she made a few phone calls. She was looking down at her phone to check the time when she saw her email icon start blinking. She opened her inbox, expecting a confirmation for Mark's appearance the next day. She hadn't received it yet. Instead she saw something from an address she didn't recognize. The subject was Re: schedule change for Mark Callaway.

She frowned, opening the message. Inside there were just two words:

_**I'm Back.**_

Taylor's breath caught in her throat, confusion quickly beginning to cloud her thinking. Then, just as she felt herself getting anxious, she deleted the message and took a deep breath, looking around the room. She was safe. She was fine. She was with her friends and, whether they knew it or not, her family. There was nothing to worry about.

* * *

Jeanette tossed a few treats on the ground for her dogs as she strolled through her bedroom, phone pressed to her ear. She'd been listening to her daughter complain about an unruly employee for the last 20 minutes.

"Adelle, dear, if it's really that bad, fire him," Jeanette counseled. "I highly doubt you have a problem with firing people."

"You're right about that," Adelle laughed. "Listen, have you talked to my daughter recently?"

"Not in a few days, why?"

"She hasn't been answering my calls."

"Well that isn't anything new," Jeanette quipped. "I wouldn't worry."

"Very funny mother."

"She's a busy girl," Jeanette shrugged. "Besides, she's got that that adorable boyfriend _and_ a new roommate. She'll get around to talking to you."

"New roommate?' Adelle asked. "What roommate?"

"One of her friends, Taylor Vogle was her name, I think," Jeanette answered. "She made Stephen promise not to run a check on her."

Adelle was silent.

Jeanette stopped walking, frowning. Very few things could render her daughter speechless.

"Addie?"

"What did you say her roommates name was?" Adelle asked.

"Taylor Vogle," Jeanette repeated.

Again, Adelle didn't say anything.

"What's wrong dear?"

"Nothing, nothing," Adelle said with a forced laugh. "I thought I knew the name but..I don't."

"That's all?"

"Yes mother," Adelle insisted. "That's all."

* * *

Sarah hung up the phone, tossing it beside her. Yvonne had managed to get Janet Wood's number but she hadn't been picking up either.

"How do I find you?" she stared at the picture of Michelle and Michael on the beach. Staring at the young blonde gave Sarah the chills. After reading that diary, the very thought of Michelle or Savannah or whatever she called herself, was frightening to Sarah. It frightened her to imagine someone so warped.

"I gotta give it to you," Sarah shook her head. "You're smart for a psycho bitch. We haven't been able to find you yet….but we will."

* * *

"So…" John said, leaning against the wall, looking across the hall at his father. They were waiting for his mother to get out of the bathroom.

"She's great John," his father gave him a warm smile. "She's smart, she's funny. She handled an extremely embarrassing situation with a lot of grace. I don't have a bad word to say."

John smiled proudly, though he knew his dad would love Cory. His mother was the one he wasn't so sure about.

"You don't have a bad word to say about what?" Carol walked out of the bathroom, fixing her hair.

"Cory," John Sr. smiled. "I was just telling your son that we love her."

"_We_?" Carol gave him a look. "You sure about that?"

"What's not to like?" John Sr. asked.

"She seems so high maintenance," Carol made a face. "Like she's never had to lift a finger for anything."

"Mom, that's not true," John shook his head. "She's not like that."

"It also doesn't help that she was practically straddling you in the kitchen when we got there this morning."

"Our boy isn't exactly innocent there Carol," his father argued.

"I forgot to tell her you guys were close," John explained. "That was my fault."

"It doesn't matter," Carol waved. "There's just something about her that I don't trust."

* * *

Hunter weaved through the growing crowd of people in the backstage area, making his way toward the dressing rooms. He'd just talked to Mark who informed him of what happened to Cory and Sarah the night before. Mark was furious and Hunter shared the sentiment. He understood Cory's hope that Owen and Sarah could help her find Dawn but she was putting herself in danger.

He stopped when he saw her. She was standing in front of the mirror, putting on mascara. She looked picture perfect except for a couple of scratches on her right arm. She wore a cutoff Survivor Series t-shirt and a pair of black leather shorts and wrestling boots. She smiled at the mirror when she saw him.

She turned around and he walked in, pulling her into a tight hug, "I just heard what happened. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she hugged him back. "Who told you?"

"Mark," he answered, rubbing a hand up and down her back. "Why didn't _you_ tell me?"

She rested her head on his shoulder, "It was really late by the time I got home, I figured I could just tell you and Jessie once I saw you."

"Did the cops figure out who it was?" he asked.

"Not yet," she shook her head. "They don't have a ton to go on."

He smoothed a hand over her hair, resting his chin on top of her head. When Mark had told him, all he could think about was what could have happened to her. The thought of someone hurting his friend scared the hell out of him.

"I'm okay, really," she insisted. "It was scary but, I'm fine."

Hunter heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and he looked up. He let Cory go when he saw John's mother and father at the door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cena," he smiled. "I didn't know you two were here."

"Funny," Carol smiled. "We didn't know _you_ would be _here_ either."

* * *

Viveca pulled the hot rollers out of her hair, watching as her hair fell around her face in long, dark curls.

"Hey buddy!"

She felt a hand push her shoulder and she lurched forward, bracing herself on the counter in front of her. She turned, not surprised to see Amy behind her.

"Sorry," she winced. "You okay?"

"I'm sure I will be," Viveca tried to laugh, rolling her shoulder. "Is there any particular reason for this exuberance?"

Before Amy could respond, the dressing room door opened again and Stephanie walked in.

"I uh…I'll tell you later," Amy patted her on the good shoulder before exiting the room.

Stephanie stared after Amy for a few seconds before looking back at Viveca.

"You guys are friends now?" Stephanie asked. "Last I heard, Cory banned her from your training sessions."

"I don't know if we're quite friends but we're..getting along."

"Well I'm not sure if that makes this more or less awkward."

"What's up?" Viveca asked, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms.

"There's an idea being bandied about amongst the writers that I'm pretty sure is gonna make it to script. I wanted you to have a heads up."

"And this idea would be?"

"Jeff and Lita," Stephanie answered.

"What?" Viveca stared. "Amy's _always_ been with Matt."

"Exactly," Stephanie nodded. "We've been looking for a catalyst for Matt and Jeff to feud for a while now. Looks like Amy's gonna be it. I just thought I would tell you first."

Viveca forced a smile, appreciating the notice, "Steph, it's fine."

"You're not bothered at all?" Stephanie looked skeptical.

"Not in the least."

The other woman was obviously not convinced but Stephanie was never one to push an employee when they were being cooperative.

'Alright," Stephanie clasped her hands together. "They need to film a segment with Cory and Lisa in here in about 10 minutes."

"I'll be out before then," Viveca assured her.

"Okay, have a good show," Stephanie gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder before leaving the room.

Viveca thought back to Amy. If Stephanie said no one knew about the new angle…what was the other woman so excited about?

* * *

Matt winced, watching the monitor in the men's locker room as Dave gave Chris a power bomb.

Jason walked into the room and an amused smirk quickly crossed his face, "Scouting the competition?"

"Competition for what?" Matt frowned. He knew what Jason meant but everyone accusing him of being interested in Lianna was getting old.

Jason shook his head, "You know what."

"He probably doesn't," Lianna breezed into the room, sitting down beside Matt. "People have a tendency to overestimate his brain capacity because his head's so big."

Matt glared at her, "Yeah, big like your-"

"Do you two ever just say Hi to each other?" Jason laughed.

Lianna shook her head, "I don't think so."

Jason laughed, "That's pathetic. You coming out with us tonight Li?"

"Cant," she gave an apologetic smile. "Dave and I are going out with some friends of his."

"Sounds like some stimulating conversation," Matt teased.

"Don't be mean," Lianna pushed his shoulder. "I'm really starting to like him."

"Dave?" Matt made a disgusted face. He couldn't understand why any half intelligent woman who'd been around him for more than 10 minutes would like Dave. He was an arrogant ass.

"Yes, Dave," Lianna insisted defensively. "Honestly, what is your problem with him? Did he ever actually _do_ anything to you?"

"He's a jerk," Matt didn't bother answering her question. "And he treats women like dirt."

"Well you're not a woman," she joked. Her expression turned sincere, "Seriously, he doesn't treat me like dirt. Can you just _try_ to be nice?"

"Why do you care if I like him?" Matt asked. "You're the one dating him."

"I care because you're my friend," she said in a rare moment of peace. "I want the people I care about to like him."

Matt sighed deeply, "I'll consider it."

"Thank you," she smiled.

The door opened and Chris Masters and Brian Kendrick walked in, laughing about something. When they saw Lianna, they stopped. It was clear that they were stopping due to her presence since they were staring directly at her.

"_What_?" Lianna broke the awkward silence.

"Nothing," Chris smiled. "You just look nice today."

"Yeah," Brian agreed. "That's all."

They grabbed what they needed out of their bags and walked out, leaving Lianna looking annoyed.

She put her hands on her hips, "What the _hell_ is going on around here?"

* * *

Savannah checked her makeup in the mirror one last time. She looked perfect. She smiled at her reflection before turning off her car's overhead light and got out of the car. She pulled her coat tighter around her, bracing against the cold. The weatherman on the radio was predicting a snowstorm and it was looking like he would be correct.

She walked up to the door of the home she'd grown up in, looking around the lawn. She could see herself running around, playing tag with her brother and father. She remembered so vividly all the times they'd all sat outside on the porch swing while her father read a book aloud. There had been a time when she was the apple of her father's eye and he was her hero. He loved Michael but she had been his favorite because she was his first, his little girl. Everyone knew it. They had all been close though. They had been happy. But that was before she knew the truth about her so called family. That was before the picture perfect image went away. She took a deep breath before she rang the doorbell, a part of her wishing it hadn't come to this.

Sheila Farisse walked to the front door, wondering who would be stopping by on a night when the news was calling for a near blizzard. She looked out the window to the side of the door, seeing a beautiful young brunette woman. She looked anxious, her arms folded over her wool coat. Sheila unlocked the door and pulled it open, using it to shield her body from the cold.

"Can I help you dear?"

"Mom," the brunette's eyes were filled with tears. "It's me."

* * *

Sheila thought she might faint as she stepped out from behind the door, staring at the young woman in front of her. She looked nothing like her daughter but for some reason, Sheila felt deep down in her gut that this woman was her flesh and blood.

"Michelle?"

The brunette nodded, reaching forward and pulling Sheila into a tight hug.

Sheila squeezed back so hard she feared she might break her.

"Oh my God," Sheila cried. "I cant believe it."

"It's me mommy," Michelle cried against her. "I'm home."

* * *

"How the hell are we supposed to find someone when we have no proof that she's here?" Sarah paced back and forth. She'd been walking a hole in the floor for at least 10 minutes.

"She's here, she has to be," Owen shook his head. "She's gotta be here as someone else."

"What?"

"Maybe the reason it's been impossible for us to find Michelle Farisse," Owen smirked. "Is that she isn't Michelle Farisse anymore."

Sarah frowned at him but he clearly felt he was on to something. He had a very excited look in his eyes. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen then grabbed Sarah's phone.

"What are you doing?" she raised a brow at him.

He ignored her, looking for a number. When he found it, he pressed the call button and put it on speaker phone, setting the phone down on the table.

Sarah was surprised to see he'd dialed Cory's number.

"Hello?" Cory picked up on the third ring.

"Cory, its Owen," he said, pen in hand. "Listen, I was just thinking about what you said about some discrepancies in your credit card charges…I ran into a friend of mine who's a forensic accountant. I was wondering if you'd mind if I give a call to your accountant, offer him some help."

"I guess that would be fine," she sounded a little confused. "I don't know if your friend will be much help, Andrew is pretty much the best but I'll give you his number just let me find it."

There was a pause for a few seconds and then Cory recited the number for him.

"Thank you," Owen said, scrawling it down.

"Thank you," she said. "I'll send him a text now and let him know you're gonna call. I don't know how much info he'll have right now. He's usually right on top of things and I haven't heard from him yet."

"I'll let you know if I have anything new for you," Owen said.

"Okay," she said. "Hey, I'm getting in the car right now. Just let me know what happens. Say hello to Sarah for me."

"Will do," Owen agreed. "Bye."

"What's going on?" Sarah asked,, sitting across from him. "Where are you going with this?"

"You'll see," Owen said, getting his own phone and dialing the number Cory gave him. Andrew Mann's secretary transferred him quickly when he said he was calling on behalf of Cory Samms.

"This is Andrew," the man sounded gruff.

"Hi, my name's Owen Wagner," Owen introduced. "I'm a friend of Cory's."

"I heard," Andrew said. "How can I help you?"

"Cory told me that you found some discrepancies on one of her credit cards, I believe it was an AmEx,' Owen explained. "I was wondering if you'd gotten anything from AmEx yet?"

"I did actually, just yesterday," Andrew answered. "I'm afraid it looks like this was just an oversight on Cory's part."

"An oversight?" Owen frowned.

"Mmhm," Andrew said. Owen could hear the sound of keys on a keyboard. "All the charges were for air fare. Believe me, if there's on thing I see a lot on her cards other than shoes, it's air fare. She must have just forgotten which card was used. It happens from time to time when you're dealing with cards with such high limits."

"Andrew…do you think you could forward me a list of those flights?" Owen asked.

"Sure thing," Andrew said. "What's your email son?"

Owen gave Andrew his personal email address and heard a few more clicks.

"Check your inbox," Andrew said.

"Thank you so much sir," Owen said, once he made sure the email had made it to him.

"You're welcome," Andrew said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some business to attend to. You have a nice evening and tell Cory I say hello."

Once he hung up, he quickly checked his email and Sarah watched him, waiting for him to tell her what he was looking at.

"Holy shit."

* * *

"So what did your parents think?" Cory asked, watching out the window as a light snow began to fall.

"Well my dad loves you," John answered. "Even though you're a Jets fan."

"He respects my integrity," Cory smirked. 'And your mom?"

"I'm not really sure," John said, blue eyes locked on the road. He couldn't have been more obviously lying if his nose had been growing.

"You're full of it,' she pointed. "What'd she say?'

John shrugged, "She wasn't really happy about the whole Hunter thing."

"It wasn't a thing," Cory felt defensive. "Did you explain to her that he's one of my closest friends?"

"Of course I did," he answered. "But that isn't exactly how it looked."

"I don't know what you mean," Cory shook her head. "I was attacked last night, my friend was worried. We hugged."

"Yeah but you don't see the way he looks at you babe," John said.

"John whatever you think you're seeing, it's wrong," Cory put a hand on his shoulder. "Believe me, I know. There's no one Hunter has any feelings for me that aren't platonic."

"And how do you know?" John asked.

"Because he just had sex with my sister," Cory blurted, immediately covering her mouth once the words escaped her. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone, not even John. Jessica strictly forbade her.

"What?" John looked over at her.

"You are _not_ supposed to know that," she pointed, giving him a warning look.

"I take it you're not either," he smirked.

"Jessie had to tell someone," Cory shrugged. "They're not exactly clear on where they stand."

"I can't believe it finally happened," John laughed. "I gotta admit, it's kind of a relief."

"Why?"

"Because if Hunter's thinking about Jessie then you're right and I'm wrong…he's not thinking about you."

* * *

Savannah sat on the stairs, looking down at the gun in her hands. She had to do this. It wasn't her fault. She had told her parents she was going upstairs to fix her makeup. She kept trying to rid her mind of the image of her father's face when he saw her that night. He looked as if someone had boxed up the moon and stars and brought them to him. He had embraced her so tightly she thought her eyes would pop out of their sockets. The tears in her eyes when she saw her mother had been forced but for her father, they were real. She felt a lump rising in her throat and she shook it off. She couldn't let this reunion get to her. The feelings weren't real. These people didn't really care about her the way they said they did. If they had, they wouldn't have betrayed her.

She walked down the stairs and around the corner, toward the family room.

"I just can't believe she's here," Sheila was gushing. "I've missed her so much Gary."

"So have I," Gary said. "I never thought this day would come."

"Neither did I," Sheila said. "We need to just be grateful and not expect too much."

"I'm not expecting too much Sheila," he insisted. "It's just good to see my little girl."

Savannah bit her bottom lip, feeling the tears in her eyes again. She walked into the room and Gary beamed when he saw her. Then his eyes fell upon the gun in her hand.

"Michelle?" he stared.

"I love you daddy," she smiled through her tears and raised the gun. With another deep breath, she fired.

* * *

"These flights are all to and from New Jersey," Owen said, scanning through the list. He'd pulled it up on his computer so he could see it more clearly. "Every single one of them."

"When did they start?" Sarah asked, sitting beside him.

He pointed to the first one, "Two weeks before it was discovered that Dawn was missing."

"Well Cory wasn't on them…so who was?"

"The only person with access to the card other than her accountant is Jacinda Bernahl."

Owen shook his head, "This doesn't make any sense. Someone had to have stolen the card or gotten the number."

"What makes you say that?" Sarah asked.

"Because Jacinda is married to Mark's best friend, she's been around these people all this time-"

"Cory told me she was suspicious of Jacinda recently," Sarah pointed out. "And she spends a lot of time off of the road with their baby."

"Exactly," Owen said. "Her baby with her _husband_."

"Who shares quite a few physical characteristics with Mark," Sarah said, standing up, beginning to pace again. "Owen, you said it yourself…Maybe we can't find Michelle because she isn't Michelle anymore."

She picked up the picture of Michael and Michelle and then shoved Owen aside as she sat in front of the computer. She pulled up a picture of Cory, Glenn, and Jacinda smiling at a fan event. She held the picture in her hand close to the computer. They looked like two completely different people. Jacinda had darker hair, straighter, whiter teeth with fuller lips. Her cheekbones looked higher, her chin was smaller but there was something in the eyes, they weren't the same color but there was something about the shape.

Owen shook his head, "Show that to any other person in the world and it's two _different, unrelated_ people."

"Think about it Owen, if this woman is crazy enough to kidnap her ex's pregnant girlfriend, what makes you think she's not crazy enough to hide in plain sight and enjoy her handiwork?"

"It's possible," Owen nodded. "But how do we figure it out without accusing her first? If we're wrong and we come to Mark with this…"

"I have an idea," Sarah smiled as it came to her. "Get your keys Wagner. We need to go talk to Martin."

* * *

"Michelle," Sheila stared horrified at her daughter. "What did you do?"

"What does it look like?" Michelle snapped, turning toward her. "What do you think I'm doing?"

Sheila stared at her husband's lifeless body. Tears trailed all over her face and she turned back to her daughter, "Why? _What.._? Why?"

"W-w-_why_?" Michelle giggled, using her free hand to wipe away her own tears. Her eyes grew dark in an instant, "Why don't you learn to finish a fucking thought?"

"How can you do this?" Sheila cried, feeling a fear she couldn't begin to describe. "Michelle, I love you. I've _always _loved you."

"You love me?" she smirked. "You really want me to believe that. You don't love me! You didn't love him!"

"How could you-"

"You cheated on him!" Michelle yelled. "I'm living proof of that! You're a _whore _and a _liar_."

"I'm your mother," Sheila cried.

"I'm not your daughter anymore," Michelle glared, raising the gun again. Sheila looked into her eyes and felt the most intense pain she'd ever felt, both emotionally and physically as a bullet entered her chest.

* * *

"Martin," Sarah said softly, sitting next to him on the couch. "Do you remember when you told me about the brown haired lady?"

"Yeah," Martin nodded. "The last time you were here."

"If I showed you some pictures of a few different ladies…do you think you could tell me which one is the one you saw?"

"I think so," he nodded eagerly.

She looked up at Owen and he put down three pictures. All of women with brown hair and hazel eyes. The middle picture was Jacinda Bernahl. Sarah crossed her fingers on one hand and held Martin's with the other, "Is the brown haired lady you saw in one of those pictures?"

"Yes," Martin nodded shakily.

"Can you show me which one she is?" Sarah asked softly.

Martin looked up at his mother and Mrs. Greenburg nodded encouragingly.

"That one," he pointed quickly to the middle picture. "She's the one who…who called me names."

"Well she was wrong Martin," Sarah smiled, squeezing his hand. "She couldn't have been more wrong."

Owen smiled at the interaction between Sarah and Martin. She really was a caring, comforting person.

"Hey Martin," Owen smiled. "Can I show you another picture?"

"Sure," Martin nodded.

He pulled the picture Sarah had found in Stephen's basement out of his pocket. It was of Michael and Michelle.

"Do you recognize this lady?" Owen asked.

"Yeah," Martin nodded. "She was the lady who lived in that apartment you asked me about…Is she in trouble?"

* * *

"Hello?"

"Ms. Wood," Savannah cried frantically. "Ms. Wood thank God you're home."

"Who is this?" Janet asked, sounding confused. "Sheila?"

"No," Savannah cried. "It's Michelle…Michelle Farisse..Ms. Wood I don't know what to do."

"Wait a minute Michelle, calm down," Janet said. "Where are you?"

"I'm at my parents' house," Savannah sniffed. "Ms. Wood it's _horrible_…She killed him…Oh my God she killed him."

"Michelle dear, slow down," Janet said. "What are you talking about?"

"My _mother_," Savannah sobbed. "She went crazy…She-she…._Oh my God_."

"It's okay," Janet said. "Just tell me."

"She shot my father," Savannah cried harder. "I came to see them….and when I got here…he was dead."

"Oh God…where is Sheila now? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine but my mother," Savannah cried. "My mother she…she shot herself…Ms. Wood _please_ come here. Please, please, please."

"Michelle, did you call the police?"

"Yes," she sniffed. "I called them but…I cant be here by myself..please come."

"I'll be right there," Janet promised. "Just stay calm honey."

"Okay," Savannah sniffed. Her breathing returned to normal as she hung up the phone. Blood covered the receiver and she smiled at it, shaking her head. "Two down, one to go."

_A Few Minutes Later…_

Janet walked into the house, afraid of what she would see. Michelle had left the door open for her. It didn't look as if the police had arrived yet.

"Michelle," she called, walking through the house. "Michelle!"

She stopped at the door to the living room, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Gary slumped over in his favorite chair. She looked away, not wanting to see her old friend that way. "Michelle!" She walked down the hall toward the back of the house.

"Oh my God," she felt her stomach rise into her throat when she walked through the door of Gary's office. Sheila was slumped in the corner, drenched in blood, her body obviously having been riddled with bullets. She couldn't possibly have done that herself.

"Oh my God," she breathed. "Oh my God."

"Janet," Savannah smiled, walking into the office. "I see you've said hello to my mother…did you happen to pass dad in the living room?"

"Michelle?" Janet gasped.

"Duh," Savannah laughed. "Howya doin Ms. Wood? It's been a while."

"You did this," Janet pointed. "You did this."

"Did I?" Savannah gasped.

"Wh-why?"

"Because _some people_ just cant seem to keep their _god damn _mouths shut," Savannah said, holding the gun up and pointing it at the other woman's face. "Like you Janet…you never have been able to keep quiet, have you?"

"You are _insane_," Janet whispered, frightened.

"Now, now," Savannah smiled. "This is about _your_ problems Janet..not mine."

Savannah walked over to Janet. The older woman tried to run but Savannah quickly cornered her.

"You told them _everything_ they wanted to know, didn't you?" she smiled.

"I-I-

"I-I-I," Savannah mocked her, putting down the gun and picking up one of her father's hunting knives that she'd taken out of his locked cabinet.

"How could you kill your parents?" Janet asked, her eyes wide. Annoyed and bored of toying with the old gossip, Savannah jammed the knife into her. Janet slumped forward into her and Savannah pushed her away, disgusted. Janet's eyes darted back and forth and Savannah sat, watching as she grabbed at the knife, obviously in shock. Shaking her head, she picked up the gun, pointing it at her neighbor. Part of her wanted to sit and watch her die but she just didn't have that kind of time. She pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through Janet's skull. Then she placed the knife down on the table and turned around, "Now to clean up."


	29. Chapter 29

**I know, I know. It's been _FOREVER_ since I updated this story and most of you have forgotten about it but it's time to finish it. My love for it was recently renewed and I have a newfound drive to complete it. I hope some of you are still reading and, if you're feeling generous, please review!  
**

**Chapter 29...**

"This is insane," Sarah shook her head, walking back and forth. They were at Owen's apartment, trying to make sense of what they'd discovered that night. According to Martin Greenburg, Jacinda Bernahl and Savannah Holbrook lived in the apartment that was supposed to have belonged to Michael.

"It is," Owen agreed, sitting at his desk, looking at side by side pictures of Jacinda and Savannah on his computer. "But that doesn't mean it's wrong."

Sarah studied the pictures again. She'd looked at them before and the only similarity she found in the two women was the shape of their eyes. Could a person really change _that_ much with plastic surgery? Jacinda had obviously had work done, her face was a little too perfect. But could she really be Savannah?

"This doesn't make sense," she shook her head.

"Aren't you the one that said Savannah may be hiding in plain sight, enjoying her handiwork?" Owen asked. After talking to Martin, he was convinced.

"I did but I didn't think she could be _this_ far engrained," Sarah explained. "Married to one of Mark's best friends. Working for Cory. This is just unreal. Maybe Martin was wrong. His ID probably wouldn't hold up in court. Maybe I led him somehow."

"You didn't lead him," Owen shook his head. "He chose Jacinda's picture all on his own. Come on, Sarah, I know it seems crazy but forget about Martin for a second. Think about that credit card statements. All those flights to and from New Jersey that Cory couldn't have taken, that she knows nothing about. Think about that."

"Has Yvonne called yet?" Sarah asked.

On the way back from the Greenburg's, Owen called Yvonne and told her what was going on. She had called in a favor with the police department to have someone run a check on Jacinda.

"Nothing yet," Owen shook his head, still staring at the pictures.

"I still can't get a hold of her or Mark," Sarah said, looking down at her phone. She'd tried calling both of them several times but they weren't answering. She'd left messages but so far she hadn't heard anything back. If Jacinda really was Savannah, she wanted to warn them right away.

"They're supposed to be back in New York in the morning," Owen reminded her.

Sarah sighed, running a hand through her hair, "I just hope the news can wait that long."

* * *

_The Next Morning…_

Savannah watched from across the street as Taylor pulled out of the parking garage behind the wheel of Cory's BMW. She was fresh out of the loony bin and Cory had moved her right into her house and given her the keys to the castle. She was incredibly trusting. She was also incredibly stupid.

Savannah smiled looking down at her set of keys to Cory's building. She'd made copies before she returned all of her keys just in case she needed them. She certainly did now. Cory and her stupid little friends were getting way too close. Now her parents were dead and it was all their fault. Why couldn't they just leave well enough alone? Why couldn't they just accept that Dawn wasn't coming back? She could feel her shoulders growing tense as she thought about it. She couldn't understand why so many people cared so much about Dawn. She was a useless human being. Her only contribution to the world was Savannah's beautiful baby girl. She gripped the keys tightly in her hand, feeling them dig into her palm. She needed to stop thinking so much. When she got angry she got sloppy and she couldn't afford that. Not when she was so close.

"She hates me Gram," Cory said, putting the dogs bowls down on the floor. She was trying to get their food set out before the doorman brought them back from their walk. When her grandmother called asking how she'd gotten along with John's parents, Cory almost didn't answer. There was no point in trying to hide it though, her grandmother could always get it out of her.

"She can't hate you dear," Jeannette insisted. "She barely knows you and anyone who knows you loves you."

"Oh she can hate me," Cory insisted. "And she does. She caught us about to have sex in his kitchen. And then she saw Hunter hugging me and apparently misinterpreted that. She probably thinks I'm some nympho."

"Well if you were there wouldn't be anything wrong with that," Jeannette laughed. "But you're not. I'm sure John's mother will realize that sooner or later."

"We'll see," Cory sighed. "Alright, I'm gonna jump in the shower. I've gotta pick John up from the airport in a couple hours. We'll see you and Stephen for dinner tonight."

"I'll see you then sweetheart," Jeanette said warmly before hanging up.

Cory pulled off her t-shirt and jeans on her way to the bathroom, dropping them in the hamper by her bathroom door. She went into the bathroom and turned on the shower but before she got in, she remembered that she'd left her cell phone in the living room. It had died the night before and she couldn't find her charger anywhere so she'd waited until she got home to charge it. She hadn't touched it since, using the house phone instead, so the battery had to be full. She pulled her robe down from it's hook on the bathroom door and slipped it on before going to get it. She grabbed the phone from the charging station on the coffee table and turned it on as she walked back toward her bedroom. She frowned when the screen informed her that she had 7 new voicemails. 4 were from Sarah, 3 from Owen. She was about to listen to them when she heard a rustling noise coming from Taylor's room. She frowned, knowing Taylor had left already and the dogs weren't in the house. She pulled her robe closed tighter, slipping the phone into her pocket for the moment and walking toward the room. She could feel her heartbeat growing faster as she reached the doorway. The door was cracked and she pushed it open, peering inside. Everything seemed to be in order, Taylor had even made the bed before she left.

Cory frowned. She just knew something was amiss. She could feel it.

She was turning around to check the bathroom across the hall when she felt a blinding pain in the side of her head.

* * *

Chris smiled when he saw Taylor walk into the restaurant. It still tugged at his heart to see her looking so healthy. She was wearing a navy blue pea coat, her blonde waves flowing from underneath a white knit hat. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold but she looked happy.

"Hi," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hey there," he smiled. "How are you?"

"Freezing," she laughed, taking off her hat and setting it down beside her. "Other than that, I'm okay. You?"

"Pretty much the same," he answered. He was glad she'd asked him out to lunch. There were some things he wanted to talk to her about. Although now, sitting across from her smiling face, he wasn't sure how to approach them. She was obviously doing leaps and bounds better and he didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize that but he still had questions about the things she was seeing in the hospital. He thought back to the mutilated teddy bear that Paula found. There was something going on and as much as he wished he could keep her away from it, he was fairly certain that Taylor was at the center.

"I'm just glad Cory's car has heated seats," Taylor laughed, taking off her gloves. "You should see that thing. It's amazing."

"You got a roommate and a car?" Chris smirked. "I'm jealous."

"Cory's been great," Taylor smiled. "It's just so weird, you know? I feel like I'm lying to her and that's the last thing that I wanna do. But at the same time, the only thing I can think of that would be worse is telling her that Frank is her father."

"She really doesn't know anything at all about her real father?" Chris asked.

"Not that I know of," Taylor shook her head. "And I don't want to be the one to tell her and Jessica."

Taylor was about to say something else but then her phone chimed. She gave Chris an apologetic look before pulling it out of her purse, "Sorry, I just have to check it. I've taken over everything for Cory since…"

Taylor trailed off, reading something on the phone. Her blue eyes darkened and Chris frowned, concerned.

"Taylor?" he reached out, touching her hand.

"Huh?" she seemed to snap out of it, looking up at him. She forced a smile, shaking her head, "I'm sorry I uh..It's just a cancellation for one of Mark's signings."

"Are you sure that's it?" he asked.

Her face had gone pale but she kept her smile on, "Yeah, that's all."

* * *

Savannah stood over Cory, swinging the club at her head again. She slipped and missed, hitting the floor. It didn't matter. She was already unconscious. A giggle escaped her as she thought about the way the other woman's body crumpled when she hit her. She looked down at the club in her hand, considering hitting her again. Before she could, she was startled by a sound near the front of the apartment. She stopped moving, listening for it again. She recognized it as keys. Someone was opening the front door. She could practically hear her heart beating in her ears and she rushed to the back door, yanking it open and slipping out before whoever it was got inside.

* * *

Mark squinted against the light, yawning as he rolled over onto his back. He was on the couch in his hotel room. He'd fallen asleep a few minutes after he checked in. He hadn't slept much at all the night before. He couldn't stop thinking about Dawn. He kept thinking about what things would be like if she was still there. He missed her so deeply. He missed the sound of her voice, the smell of her hair. Lately he couldn't seem to close his eyes without seeing her face. He reached over, picking up his cell phone. He figured he'd find out what Cory and John were doing that night. He didn't want to be alone. When he turned the phone on, it started ringing as soon as it picked up a signal.

"Hello?" he answered, seeing that it was Sarah.

"Oh thank God," she said, sounding out of breath. "I've been trying to call you for hours."

"I turned off my phone," he explained groggily, sitting up. "Is everything alright?"

"Not entirely," Sarah explained. "I hate to do this over the phone and it's gonna sound crazy but…We think Jacinda could be behind Dawn's disappearance."

"Jacinda?" Mark frowned. "Sarah, that isn't possible."

"It is, Mark, I swear," she insisted. "Listen, Owen and I are on the way to Cory's right now. I'll explain everything. Can you just meet us there?"

"Yeah," Mark said, instantly feeling wide awake. "I'll be right there."

* * *

"Baby?" John dropped his bags just inside the door, closing it behind him. He'd taken an earlier flight after his appearance got cancelled and he couldn't wait to see her. He was barely awake when she left for the airport that morning. He frowned, knowing she was home. The doorman had asked him to tell her he'd bring the dogs up shortly. He walked through the living room, figuring she was in the bedroom and she hadn't heard him.

"Babe?" he called when he got to the hallway. He stopped walking when he saw her. She was lying on the floor in her bathrobe.

"Cory!" he yelled, rushing to her side. He pulled her up into his arms, tapping the side of her face, "Baby, wake up."

She didn't respond at all and he held her close, sitting her completely upright. He saw blood trickling down the right side of her face

"Oh my God," he scrambled to get his cell phone out of his pocket, while still holding her up.

He could feel her shallow breathing and he dialed 9-1-1, using his shoulder to hold the phone to his ear as he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the living room.

"9-1-1, What's your emergency?"

* * *

Dawn could hear the front door slam open and she cringed. Every time that Savannah came back she wondered if it would be her last day. She still couldn't figure out why Savannah was keeping her alive but she knew, whatever the reason, it wouldn't last forever. Eventually, Savannah was going to kill her. She certainly wasn't about to let her go after everything that had happened.

For once, Dawn wasn't feeling horribly nauseous. Whatever Savannah and Jim were giving her, they'd laid off for a few days. She didn't feel normal but she felt better than she had recently. She hoped that Savannah had Shelby with her. If she was planning on leaving her with Jim, then that meant Dawn could convince him to let her hold her little girl again. The prospect of getting to hold her baby, to touch her tiny hands and feet and see her absolutely perfect face; that was the only thing that kept her going.

"Good morning sunshine," Savannah sang cheerfully walking into the room.

Dawn was immediately frightened. Savannah looked positively giddy.

"You won't believe the day I've had so far," Savannah smiled. "And it's only gonna get better."


End file.
